Children of the Atom: Season 1
by Avatard12
Summary: Cable. Marvel Girl. Nocturne. Wildcard. Ariel. Marrow. X-23. Born to be heroes, they are the new X-Men, the Children of the Atom! Note: Third arc begins with 'That's What Kids Do!
1. Pilot, Part One

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode One 'Pilot'**

**Part One**

_Fire…Life Incarnate…Death….Sheer Power…Child of Light and Darkness…Burn Away what doesn't work…I…AM…PHOENIX!_

"AAAAGGH!" Rachel screamed as she woke up from a nightmare that had visited three nights in a row. She grabbed her head in her hands, clumps of thick red hair trapped between her clawing fingers.

Someone turned on the light. "Rachel! Ray, are you alright?" Her brother, Nathan, grabbed her shoulders, trying to steady her. He must have heard her from across the hall, where he slept. His brown eyes tried firmly to stare into her own green ones, to roughly sooth her.

"Y-yes. Yes, I'm fine." She said, trying to snap out of it. "Th-the dream. It came back!"

"It won't." said her roommate, Talia Josephine 'TJ', also hugging her. "It never will."

"What is going on here?"

The three of them whipped around to see their teacher, leader, and the closest thing to a parent they knew: Hank McCoy. "Nothing. Rachel just had a bad dream, that's all." Nathan said, his brown hair mussed and his blue pajamas too small on his muscled body.

"The same one?" Hank asked, arcing a blue furry eyebrow, which matched his – and TJ's – blue furry body.

Rachel nodded, wiping her eyes.

"Well, all, of you, go back to bed. And, Rachel, if you want to talk about it – I'm always open."

"But it's not like it should be." Rachel said, acting on her feelings before she could stop herself.

"What do you mean by that?" Hank said, harshly expressing his curiosity.

"It's not like having a _parent_." Rachel said, still trying to say what she had wanted. "I don't know that much about them either. None of us does – not Oliver, not Mike, not TJ, not Nate or I. Who were they? Why are we here?"

Hank paused, trying to think of something. "I've told you. Your parents are dead. They-"

"-saved people. They were heroes." Rachel finished bitterly. "But tell us more! I don't even know their _names!_" she pleaded.

Hank halted again, trying to sort out a conflicting battle in his head. "I'll tell you. I'll tell you all, I promise. But not now, tomorrow. Just get back to sleep."

Rachel obediently settled herself back under her covers, while Nate walked back across the hall to the room he shared with Oliver and Mike. TJ climbed acrobatically to the top bunk of their bunk bed, and turned off the light. And they all tried to contain their excitement about finally being able to know the truth.

_Some people achieve heroism. Some people are born to it. CHILDREN OF THE ATOM!_

_Cable. Marvel Girl. Nocturne. Wildcard. Ariel. Marrow. X-23._

The next morning dawned as slowly and as surprisingly as Hank's promise to tell the truth. Rachel raced to the breakfast room, already fully dressed in a green long-sleeved top that showed her shoulders with jeans and her favorite gold necklace (a chain ending with an X inside a circle) while TJ ran behind her, also dressed in a red short-sleeved jacket that didn't reach her navel over a white navel-baring top, and a pair of tight black pants with a thick brown belt. She wore black leather boots with black leather bracelets, and a choker studded with gems and a gem dangling from it as well. Her fur was well groomed, and her black hair was nicely brushed.

Rachel reached the breakfast area first, opening the door wide enough – with her mind – for TJ to duck under her arm to get in, and wide enough so Rachel could see all of her friends that were more like her family: Nate, who actually _was _her family, and stern and tough with dry humor and telekinesis; Mike, the cheerful, friendly dark-haired boy that could walk through walls; Oliver, with good looks, charm, an easy smile, and the ability to knock out an opponent and drain their life force with a touch (safely under control), and of course, TJ, who was friendly, blue, and furry – and could also blast energy from her hands and do spectacular acrobatics.

And Rachel? She had red hair and green eyes, and telepathy and telekinesis. And she was fiercely protective of her family and had a redhead's temper, but she was a good kid. She smiled as she walked through the door.

"Hey Rachel!" Oliver smiled and gave her a high-five, which she returned with butterflies in her stomach. Mike waved and greeted her too, and she waved back friendlily. Nate gave her a pat on the back and her cereal. She took it to the table, eating it slowly, cleaning it out and putting it away, before she finally spoke up. "Did Nate tell you about what happened last night?"

The room quieted immediately. Oliver nodded. "We're all excited too, Rachel. I'm really glad you finally asked the question I've been dying to ask for years."

She smiled and said nothing, but her stomach leaped for joy.

They all waited in the room, sitting down and looking at the door like any second, Hank would go through. They waited five minutes…ten…thirty…one hour…an hour and a half…two…

"Okay, that's _it_." Mike said, hopping off the barstool he'd been sitting on. "I appreciate giving him time and all, but it's been too long, and I'm not just talking about two hours. We need to go find him."

Nate nodded silently, determined. But he didn't need to say anything. He was their leader, their activist. His word counted more than all of theirs.

The friends ran through the hall to Hank's room and office, hiding outside his door. They could see his silhouette, moving around the room, and hear his footsteps. Then all of a sudden, the sound cut off, and his silhouette disappeared. The friends looked at each other curiously, and all mutually made up their minds. Nate opened the door telekinetically, and peeked in. "It's empty."

"WHAT?"

"Look." He said, walking in, while the others followed. He was right; the room was clearly deserted. But how did Hank get out? The others picked up things, looking under them as if they were hoping for the answer. Mike opened the closet, thinking that maybe Hank had heard them and hid in there. But no Hank. As he closed the door, he noticed something: a drawer not all the way closed. He reopened the door and closed the drawer,_ then_ shut the door.

"What is this?" He heard Nate say, and turned to look – at a door that most certainly had not been there a second before. "It's a secret door!" He said, excited. "I closed a drawer, and I think that must have activated it, and-"

"This must have been where Hank went." Said Oliver, catching up. "Well, ladies first." He said, opening the door wide enough for someone to walk through. Rachel looked down with doubt and then looked up with determination. She walked through first, then Nate, then TJ, then Mike, then Oliver. All of them walked through a shiny steel hallway until they reached…

"What the heck?" Nate asked, shocked, as all of them grew wide-eyed.

**AN: Well, that's the end of Part One of the Children of the Atom Pilot! I'll update faster if you review. This is a fic that's been in the works for some time and I'm very proud of it. Wicked, my other Evo fic, is a prequel to it, though how will not be revealed until later.**

**Q&A: If this was a real television show, who do you think would play what character?**


	2. Pilot, Part Two

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode One 'Pilot'**

**Part Two**

"What the heck?" said Nate, shocked, as his friends all grew wide-eyed at the sight of the gigantic computer screen in front of them. It was currently playing what must be its screen saver: silver letters rotating, spelling out X-MEN.

"Who are the X-Men?" TJ wondered out loud. Nate took a deep breath.

"Only one way to find out." He said, pulling out a computer tray and resting the mouse in his fingers. The computer screen immediately changed; it wanted a password. Nate groaned, and turned to the others. "Anyone know what Hank would put in to his secret computer?"

No one said anything, but Rachel had a wiry smile playing on her face. "I think we just saw, Nate."

Then he realized it, and typed in X-Men for the password. The computer accepted it, and went to a folder. In it was a video file entitled: _For The Children_.

"Do you think this is what Hank would have shown to us?" Mike asked. Nate nodded, certain. "Yes. And if he would have shown it to us anyway…" He clicked on the file that told the truth.

_The scene is a beautiful mansion in the summer. A male narrator narrates:_

"_Mutation. It is the key to our evolution. It is what has enabled us to evolve from a single-celled organism into the dominant species on the planet. This process is slow, and normally taking thousands and thousands of years. But every few hundred millennia, evolution leaps forward._

_Since the dawn of our existence, there have always been moments where the course of history shifted. Such a turning point happened when the X-Men were created. The conflict between the best and the worst of what makes us human, that changes us all so greatly, brought us all into a world that we cannot unmake. I don't know if we shall ever win. I only know of the sacrifices that had to be made to get this far. And because the fate of all lies with the few, they have to make the final stand._

_The X-Men started out as a class; a class of young mutants trying to discover how to safely use and control their powers. But they became more over time; they became mutant peacemakers, those that kept their own species safe from both outside and inner forces, and heroes. For mankind has always feared what it does not understand, and there are always those who prefer the course of evolution to be hurried._

_The X-Men were a family and a team. _Pictures came up as the narrator described each individual. _Scott Summers, aka Cyclops. Projects beams of energy from his eyes. Team Leader. Jean Grey. Eventually Phoenix. Telepathy and telekinesis. Second in command. Kitty Pryde, aka Shadowcat. Intangibility. Rogue. Power absorption, although at first uncontrolled. Kurt Wagner, aka Nightcrawler. Demon morphology and teleportation. Ororo Munroe, aka Storm. Weather manipulation. Henry McCoy, aka Beast. Animalistic mutation. _

_More came and went as time went on. A founding member and Storm's nephew, Evan Daniels, aka Spyke, eventually left when his mutation became uncontrollable. Two former villains, Remy LeBeau, code name Gambit, and Piotr Rasputain, code name Colossus, joined us as time went on._

_Charles Xavier was the founder, born into a world divided. But his telepathy made him see deep down, and he could see that we were all just afraid of being hurt and betrayed by one another. Humans were afraid that mutants would hurt them, and mutants were afraid of the same from humans. He tried to heal that, but it seems that the destiny of great men is to never see their dreams come true._

_The X-Men grew older, and built their own lives within the mansion. Jean and Scott, the mutant It Couple, married with two children, Nate and Rachel. Rogue and Gambit had Oliver, Kitty and Piotr had Michael, and Kurt and his own love Amanda had Talia. _

_When these children were no more than babes, a terrible tragedy came to pass. Sentinels, mutant-hunting machines, ordered by unknown people – we may never know – struck the X-Mansion, ordered to kill. The children were safe, but the heroes fell tragically. The young heroes were taken to a secret base in Antarctica, in a place called the Savage Land, to be trained and raised until they were older._

_And so, I part on more philosophy: When people gain power, that power defines who they are. Will they become heroes or villains? This is a question we must ask ourselves. Why? Because, my pupils, we are mutants._

The teenagers stared at the ending of the video with wide eyes, unable to quite grasp what they heard. Nate was the fastest though. "You getting this?" He gasped, whipping around. "Mutants – us – have been fighting a war, plain and simple! We've just been locked away too long to figure it out!"

Then the door at the end of the hall opened.

**AN: Part Two is up, and Part Three is on the way! And so I give these youngsters tragic news…**

**Also, I'm not a big Kitty/Colossus shipper in Evo. I like Lance a lot, and we'll hear from him (though not in a major way until CotA Season 2). But I wanted to have X match with X, and hey, this is the future, you get to work around. Jokegirl taught me that (for more info, see her amazing X-Men Evo fanfics).**

**Review if you want more. And I KNOW 34 hits and 27 visitors to this fic alone. I am NOT going to stand for an unreviewed chapter!**


	3. Pilot, Part Three

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode One 'Pilot'**

**Part Three**

The teenagers stared at the ending of the video with wide eyes, unable to quite grasp what they heard. Nate was the fastest though. "You getting this?" He gasped, whipping around. "Mutants – us – have been fighting a war, plain and simple! We've just been locked away too long to figure it out!"

Then the door at the end of the hall opened, and Beast ran through – flustered and frantic and acting as though his life were on the line. "Oh no, oh no, oh no…" he muttered, running towards the computer, and then finally seeing the children. "_What_? How did you get in…it doesn't matter now! Children, we need to get out of here!" None of them moved, not getting it and still just lost in thought.

That's when Beast finally noticed the details – the video that had just played, their expressions – and put the pieces together. "Oh my…"he said, his voice full of true concern and affection. "I'm-I'm so sorry. I am so-"

That's when the first one hit. A laser knocked them all backwards, forcing them towards each other, forcing them to follow Hank, all of them running. "What's going on?' TJ gasped. "What _are_ those things?"

"Sentinels". Hank said grimly, and all of them shuddered in horror and fear. "I was working on some things in my lab, and I saw them coming on another computer. We need to get out of here…I have a plane downstairs."

"I can fly it," Nate volunteered, and no one else even bothered. They all rushed down several flights of stairs, past everything that had been their home…"It's just through these doors-UUGH!" Hank cried out as a laser grazed his side. "HANK!" They all cried out in horror.

"It's okay," said Rachel, desperately trying to sooth the others and carrying Hank telekinetically. "It's all right, I have him, we can heal him, just _keep moving_!"

They all obeyed, terrified of missing a step, getting through the doors and finaly seeing the black jet that Hank had picked out for them…but no one bothered to comment, just ran through, sat and strapped themselves in, as Rachel lowered him onto a cot on the plan. Nate sat in the pilot's seat. "Jet's prepped," he said. "Okay, everyone, one, two, three…"

The plane lifted off, and soared away from the ruins of all they had known. As they flew further away, they saw the birds-eye view of what they had never known. That their peaceful home had been residing in a tropical jungle with _dinosaurs_, and that was smack-dab in the middle of a snowy wasteland. None of them said anything, all too overcome with thoughts, until, far out…

"What's that?" said TJ, pointing to a blinking red button.

"It's nothing," said Nate, trying not to sound worried as he turned the wheel.

"Yes, it is something. I've been watching you. Nate, you have _no idea_ how to fly this plane." TJ said, trying to snap him out of it.

"Well, I know how to use the autopilot." Said Nate, sheepish.

"That is not flying." Rachel said, annoyed and crabby.

"I KNOW." Said Nate, in that 'what-do-you-want-from-me?' way.

Then the button started to blip even harder, and the plane started to wobble, sinking lower and lower, wobbling even more. "Okay, I think I know what the button signifies." Nate said, trying to sound in control.

"_YOU THINK?"_ they all screamed at him, scared and angry and just plain fed-up.

That's when the plane started to crash. They all screamed and hugged each other for terror, and Hank's cot rolled toward them, touching them as they all believed that maybe now they could be reunited with their parents. Rachel's eyes glowed…

Then they weren't there anymore, but in a deserted alley. "_What_?" Oliver said, totally shocked. "Where _are_ we?"

**AN: That's the end of the first episode! I had the second part written last night, but I couldn't post it for some reason. So now the Pilot is over, and now the new X-Men face a strange, uncertain world.**

**Next Up: When the new X-Men get attacked by bigots, they are saved by mutant benefactors Marrow and the Morlocks. But are these Good Samaritans really all they seem?**


	4. Outcast, Part One

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Two, 'Outcast'**

**Part One**

The new X-Men stared around at the alley, with their injured mentor, Beast, hanging limply off Nathan Summers' shoulder. Every one of them had an expression of terror in their eyes; they had no idea where they were. Nate finally had to say something. "Let's keep going."

They obeyed, but they were terrified in a way they hadn't been when the Sentinels had attacked. Then, they had been in a place they recognized and had known what to do: run. Now, they were in new territory, and if they had to fight, the odds weren't good.

Walk past the grey bricks of the buildings around them, still confused as heck…until Rachel bumps straight into some guys and falls down on her butt. "Oh, I'm sorry, didn't see you there-" she starts, but then the guy she bumped into (muscled, heavily-built thug) grabs her arm and twists it in a way that could only be described as: _hurting like crazy_. "Yeah, you will be sorry," he grunts.

That's when a crowbar, seemingly powered by nothing, smacks him in the back of the head, forcing him to let go of her arm and knocking him unconscious. "Didn't your mother teach you not to pick on a lady?" Nate questions. The other members of the gang are now scared, and on the offensive. "I know what you did, _freak_." The second in command sneers.

"Freak? _I'm_ not the one with a tattoo of '_Bertha_' on my arm and who's probably planning to go back and get wasted when he's done attacking teenagers." Nate questions, and TJ slaps her head, clearly wondering '_why did we pick the person who was bad with people for our leader_?'

"Don't harass _me_, _mutie_. I know what you are. I know that you owe us a debt…in your blood." The guy says, stepping forward and causing them to move back. That's when he got knocked out too, by something hitting him very hard in the back of the head. The remaining guys were angry and even more afraid.

"NATE!" The teens yell.

"But that wasn't _me_! Really!" Nate protested.

"He's right." A new voice chipped in, female but tough. "It was me. And I think you should back away."

They all turned to stare at the newcomer and her friends. The ones that hadn't spoken were all mutants, but physically altered in ways that the teens weren't, not even Nocturne – bordering on gruesome. The speaker was a teenage girl, about their age, who had dyed her short hair pink and had a very odd mutation – bones were sticking out of her back, and bony stubs dotted her face. She wore a cut-off T-Shirt and leather pants with leather gloves and boots.

"Fine," said another idiotic member of the gang. "Even fewer muties out there in the world."

That's when they attacked – the new mutants, not the new X-Men. They kicked and delivered blows with the strength and timing of experts, and used their powers well. The girl pulled some of her bones out to use as clubs and later shot some more out for projectiles. More grew back in though. Soon, all the members of their attackers were knocked out.

"Thanks," said Rachel gratefully. "Who are you people?"

"My name is Marrow," said the girl. "And these are my people, the Morlocks.

Now they were walking through a sewer, with dirty rainwater and other nasty things dripping from the ceiling. Marrow lead them all with confidence and a good sense of direction, so it wasn't until a few minutes had passed before TJ asked "Who are the Morlocks?"

"The Morlocks are mutants, like you – only we can't disguise our mutation. So we've been driven down here, hiding on the verge of society." Marrow said bitterly. "We do all right, but sometimes the little ones that can't fight back…" she paused, a lump swelling up in her throat. Oliver put an arm around her for comfort. "Relax", he said. "We understand. It's hard."

"Our healer will take a look at your friend." She said, moving on. "It's nothing he can't treat. And you're welcome to stay for a few days. We're all mutants, aren't we?"

"Yeah. Yeah, that would be great." TJ said eagerly.

"Then go make yourselves comfortable." Marrow said, almost smiling.

The gang had arrived at a huge circular area, filled with mutants. They were all talking and laughing, like a family, sharing some sort of potluck. The new arrivals quickly settled in, taking some food. "This is really good," Nate said. "I'm glad they found us – now we can get Hank stitched up and plan our next move in safety."

"Yeah." Mike said. "I haven't had food since breakfast, and I lost it on that plane!" They all laughed, for a moment carefree.

Late at night, a large group of family tourists were in the subway meeting hall, trying to find a good train. One of them, a little girl, no more than three, saw something in the shadows and ran off after it, carefree. The others spotted her and ran off, soon out of sight of anyone else…and into Marrow and the Morlocks. "Um, sorry to bother you, we'll…just be on our way…" the father stuttered, terrified.

"On your way doing _what_?" Marrow asked, full of bitterness. "Killing mutants? Driving our kind down here?" Some more Morlocks came around from the back, surrounding the group.

"N-no! I've never even met a mutant up until now!" The man gasped.

"And I'm sure that _that_ makes everything okay." Marrow sneered. "Don't worry, since you're nobody special – one of the sheep, can't see past their next meal and their nose – we'll make this quick."

A few minutes later, a scream was heard from that area.


	5. Outcast, Part Two

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Two, 'Outcast'**

**Part Two**

Even though no member of the newcomers had ever been near a sewer in their entire life, they adapted to the sewer life with relative ease. They did their best not to complain at meager helpings, tried to be altruistic when the time came, and didn't make a comment about the smell. But Nate was restless, wanting to leave as soon as Beast was ready.

"We can't, Nate." Rachel said, watching her brother pace. "The healer says it was a serious wound, and we need him around in case something else happens. Besides, we have no idea what to do."

"Still..." Nate trailed off, the look in his eyes' like that of a caged animal. "I hate this place! It's so cramped, and all we do is just a load of _nothing_!"

"Maybe we could use some nothing after what we found out." Rachel said quietly.

"No, what we need is to figure out a plan! Not just singing sewer hymns!" Nate said angrily.

Before Rachel could reply, the bell rang out for dinner, and they all trailed down. It almost broke their hearts to see the little ones' eyes light up at a piece of chicken, but they just accepted their meal and joined the others.

"Hey, what do you think _she_ can do?" Mike said, pointing to a female mutant with antenna in the corner.

"Maybe she has enhanced senses or something. Oliver, do you have a guess?" TJ asked.

He shook his head. "I respect her privacy," he said, and then walked towards her. After a few words, she blushed and he put his arm around her.

"Okay, and this contributes to respecting her privacy _how_?" Rachel questioned, irritated for reasons she didn't reveal, but no one else was irritated; if anything, they were amused.

"Guys," said Nate in a low-key whisper. "I've been wondering something since we came here. How did Marrow find us anyway? We walked for a long time before we came to this place."

Mike thought about it before answering "She might have been nearby."

"That's what I'm thinking, but _why_? You heard her speech; you know they can't blend in with humans well. Why were they above ground, then?" Nate persisted, which made them all uneasy.

"Sunder told me Marrow and some of her crew like to go around for some 'missions'", TJ said. "If you want to find out why, I'd recommend following them."

Oliver returned, sitting down with his hair mussed and something that looked like a lipstick stain on his cheek. "What did I miss?" he asked.

Later that night, the friends sneaked out of their tunnel, looking around discreetly as they could. Soon, they saw the shadows of Marrow and her crew moving around. Doing their best to be silent and efficient, they followed them through winding tunnels and eventually came up in a dingy neighborhood. In a corridor, they briefly lost sight of her and then lost her trail. They were about to give up when they heard shrieks of pain coming in a new direction. Nate led them in their running when they came across a brutal sight: Marrow and some of her followers were ruthlessly attacking some human boys.

"Feel that! That's heat! You feel that!" One of them cried, using his heat to burn his victim's flesh. "Shh…" another cooed gently as her arm stuck through their heart. "It's a heart attack, baby. _Shhh_…" Marrow was using her bones to beat the victim she had chosen to a bloody pulp. It was gross, and horrible. "_What_?" Mike cried out, before he could stop himself, and Marrow whipped around…

**AN: Part 2 of Outcast is posted! Once again, I renew the question I asked: Who do you think would be a good actor/actress (birth date no earlier than 1986 for the teens) for:**

**Nathan**

**Rachel**

**TJ**

**Mike**

**Oliver**

**Beast**

**Marrow**

**Also, I'd really like some more reviews. So far, I've received ONE review per chapter, and two of them were from the same user! So, please, I'm **_**begging**_** you: give me your love, your feedback, and your answers to the question above.**


	6. Outcast, Part Three

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Two, 'Outcast'**

**Part Three**

"_What_?" Mike cried out, before he could stop himself, and Marrow whipped around, spotting the group of teens for the first time. "What are you guys doing here?" She asked.

"Why are _you_ doing _this_?" TJ replied in horror, spreading her arms out to indicate the carnage that surrounded them. "I thought you were the Morlocks' _protector_!"

"To protect the innocent, you have to punish the guilty." Marrow said firmly, without a trace of regret in her voice, only ruthlessness.

"These humans didn't do anything to you!" Mike pleaded.

"Exactly – they just sat by and watched. They watched as mutantkind wipes itself out, they watched as your parents DIED! _Sentinels_ killed them – machines that humans make! As far as I'm concerned, they are ALL guilty!" Marrow's voice had risen to a scream.

All of the teens were taken by surprise that Marrow knew who their parents were, but they had a feeling it wouldn't have been hard to guess. Rachel's red hair and TJ's blue fur were both pretty distinctive, they hung out in a group, and they were pleading on the behalf of humans.

"No. No they aren't." TJ said, finally.

Marrow scoffed. "How can a group have so many eyes and not _see_? I'm amazed."

Oliver spoke up: "I pity you, Marrow." Marrow flinched like those words were poison, and ran a hand over her bones. "_Not_ because of your mutation, but because you can't realize that we're all the same. Mutant or not."

Now she looked incredulous. "How can you say that after your parents? You know, more than anyone, that these are _animals_-"

"No, they are _humans_." Nathan finally spoke up, stepping forward. "And the reason that humans – and mutants – do terrible things and justify them is because they don't know any better." Then he looked her in the eyes. "And if you are going to kill any of those people back there, you're going to have to start with us."

Marrow yanked a bone out of her back, wincing in pain, as Nathan took on a fighting stance…

"That's enough!"

All of them turned around to the new visitor to their group. "Please," Beast asked. "Marrow, I beg you not to kill them. Not for the sake of humans, but for the sake of your father."

Marrow flinched like the words were a whip. "My father was killed by a mob when I was six – and I watched it happen! You know _nothing_ about him!"

"On the contrary." Beast said. "I know more than you do. Your father, Evan Daniels, was once a student of mine – an X-Man too. When I lost control of my mutation, reverting into the form I now hold, and being a Beast in mind as well as in body – your father reminded me who I was. When he lost control of his mutation, he ran to the Morlocks. When they were being attacked, he defended them – not seeking out foes. And _that's_ what it means to be a hero. Your father was a hero. Keep this up, and you dishonor his memory. You become the monster that our _real_ foes want you to be."

Marrow looked at him, lost in the new wave of information and emotion that was coming over her. She looked down at her fist that held her bone – her weapon. Almost involuntarily, and almost in slow motion, she dropped it and it clattered to the floor. "I…I'm…I'm not a monster," she said, an uncharacteristic vulnerability on her face for a second.

Beast nodded. "What's your _real_ name?" he asked.

"S-Sarah."

"Sarah…that's pretty." Mike said. Marrow still looked at the floor, uncertain of what to do. Beast comfortingly put an arm around her, ignoring her bones. "Come. We have much to discuss."

Following the two of them, the group of teenagers walked back into the tunnels.

"That was amazing." TJ said.

Rachel finally spoke up. "Yeah, it was. But to tell you the truth, the reason I didn't say anything…was because a little part of me agreed with her."

None of them replied to that, but it was clear that they agreed with that statement with their faces.

**AN: I already had this chapter written yesterday, but I decided to wait to post it until I got more reviews! So, in answer to the one person who tried to help cast the 'show', the teens' birth date has to be lower than 1986 or so. And on my profile page, a poll can help narrow down the choices for Rachel Summers. **

**Also, yes, some members of Brotherhood have kids and in later seasons the New Recruits may make an appearance.**

**Next Up: The New X-Men meet more damaged souls Wolverine and X-23. But can these survivors teach the group anything about how to follow suit, and has Marrow really taken her place among them?**


	7. Feral, Part One

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Three, 'Feral'**

**Part One**

Beast and Marrow walked down a sewer tunnel. "Which mutant did you want Caliban to find?" Marrow asked, leading the pair.

"A few old friends." Beast said vaguely, and Marrow frowned, but kept them moving. Soon, they found a cot with blankets, with an old mutant sitting on it. "Caliban is happy to see you again, friend Beast." He said.

"I as well." Beast said. "But I have need of your particular talent to find some mutants."

Caliban sighed. "It is always like this. No one _ever_ visits for the pleasure of Caliban's company. Just his knowledge. But very well; which ones?"

"Two former X-Men." Beast said. "I think they survived the attack."

"They would have to be very resilient."

"They are." Beast said. "I believe they are still surviving as a pair. So, I ask you: where is the mutant called Wolverine?"

In another sewer tunnel, the teens that were the children of the X-Men relaxed. "What do you think Hank meant when he said he was going to find friends?" Mike asked.

"Probably that he was going to find some mutant that could help us." Oliver shrugged as he winked at some mutant girl that blushed as she met his eye.

This annoyed Nate, causing him to ask: "Have you heard that modesty is an attractive trait?"

"Only for shy people." Oliver replied.

Then Marrow led Beast back into their tunnel. He seemed excited. "Come, children. We need to get moving. Marrow, do you have a way out? For long journeys?"

She nodded. "There's a minivan in a parking garage that is over the sewers. I could show you the way."

"That would be most fine, because I want you to come with us."

That shocked her. "_What_? I mean, why? Just because I did that stuff doesn't mean…I don't…."

Beast looked her in the eye, and she threw her hands up in exasperation. "Oh, all right!"

"What's going on?" Rachel asked. "Where are we going?"

"The Adirondack Mountains." Beast said. "We're going to find two very dangerous mutants."

The entire team had been crammed into a Toyota, and when the word 'crammed' is used, it _means_ crammed all right. None of them were very comfortable, but thankfully Marrow had a window seat and the only person who sat next to her (Mike) could phase so he didn't get hurt by her bones. They had all been driving for hours, and the radio was only playing oldies.

Finally, they stopped at a small cottage, isolated and looking over the valley. It had a garage, but the door was closed and no lights were on inside the house. Even so, Beast knocked on the door. No one answered on that first knock, or the second, but on the third…

A gruff man, with an unusual hair style, and a muscled torso answered the door, and his jaw dropped. "Hank?" he asked. "Is that really you?"

"The same question could apply to you. It's been…fifteen years or so, hasn't it?" Beast asked with a small smile. The two hugged like brothers-in-arms. Finally, the other man asked. "Lost your manners, have you?" and looked at the group.

"Oh, sorry. You knew some of them when they were babies." He pointed to each as he named them. "Nathan, Rachel, Talia (but she prefers TJ), Oliver, Mike…and this is Marrow, or Sarah." She frowned as she was named. Hank leaned in a little closer. "Can you let us in?"

"Oh, yes." The man said, and then looked at the teens. "I'm Logan."

They walked through the door as a group, and saw the modestly furnished walls of a bare household. However, at the kitchen table, a young woman sat. She bore an uncanny resemblance to Logan, and the group wondered if she was his daughter.

Logan gestured to her. "This is Laura, my daughter of sorts. She's a genetic clone created from my DNA and…Oh, does it even matter? The bottom line is, she and I both have claws-" he popped out three metal claws from his knuckles "-and we could kill you if we wanted to. So don't make us want to." He walked off. X-23 returned to stare out the window.

Beast slightly chuckled. "His people skills haven't gotten any better, have they?"

Marrow also walked off, following Logan. He turned around. "What are you doing, kid?" he asked when they were both outdoors.

"Trying to tell you to tell Beast back there to leave me alone. We both know that you can't persuade me to be a good girl…so can we just cut the crap and get down to it, all right?" She popped a bone out.

"Kids today…no respect for old fashioned conversation…_good_." Logan smiled. "And by the way kid, it's _Mr._ Wolverine to you."

The two started to fight in earnest, with Nathan watching from the side of the house intently.

**AN: That's the end of Part One. I **_**told**_** you, review faster and I'll update faster! And in response to my last reviewerer…read my fanfic Wicked. You might see how your characters inter the story. I totally would have used them even if you hadn't suggested them.**

**And these guys (on the whole) **_**aren't**_** OC's. They are mainly adapted from comics.**

**Rachel Summers is the daughter of Scott and Jean from the future, TJ is the daughter of Nightcrawler (and the Scarlet Witch, though in this her mother is Amanda) from an alternate reality, Oliver is Rogue and Remy's kid from X-Men: The End, and Nathan…he's got a comic counterpart as well. Mike's the only character I made up.**

**So, still any casting choices?**


	8. Feral, Part Two

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Three, 'Feral'**

**Part Two**

Hank held a steaming mug of coffee in his right paw, opening the front door with his left. He walked slowly towards a lawn chair set up near the front of the house, wanting to enjoy the sunrise, when he spotted some dark figures further down the path. Squinting at them, he saw they were vaguely human, which made him walk a little more towards them before he gasped.

For X-23, the feral mutant clone herself was duking it out with his other mutant pupils –except for Nate. Beast raced towards them, frantic with worry, when all of a sudden he hit something that sent him sprawling on the ground. Looking up, he saw that the way to them was apparently unblocked. However, once he put out a tentative hand, he saw that some sort of field was blocking the way. Rachel was down there fighting X, and so the only perpetrator left was…

"NATE! What is going on?" Beast yelled at the figure of the boy watching it, a little further off. He seemed unconcerned at the figures, though, as he was standing without worry or anger.

"Laura's teaching them to fight." He said. "It's about time we got some more training with others."

"Nathan, let the barrier down now." Beast said, calmly but with power.

"You're not their father. I'm not their father. We make our own way now." Nate said, refusing to let it down. "And don't worry, it's only for practice."

"She is very dangerous, even if she's taking it easy on them! They could get hurt!" Beast said, shaking with anger.

"You're damn right they could, but we aren't going to find our place with you keeping us in a safe little bubble." Nate said, also angry, but his anger didn't shake him, it just filled him with power. "And if you can't handle that, I'll make it really easy on you. I'll take us all so far away you'll _never_ find us."

Beast stared at him in shock, but finally dropped his head in submission. "Just…just remember I'm not your enemy. I'm your _teacher_."

"Then teach me."

That got Beast's attention. "What do you mean?"

"I want you and Wolverine _personally_ to teach me how to fight."

The blue furry mutant didn't like that, but he realized quickly something about Nate: to argue is to lose. "Very well, than."

Down the field, the others weren't having such an easy time with it either. X-23 was clearly their superior in fighting, and the fact they weren't used to fighting as a team didn't help matters. She kept them on the edge with snarky quips, and that kept them distracted. Currently, they all just stood in a line, side to side, waiting for her next move. Laura stood in front of them, waiting and listening for the right moment.

"You've been dodging proper training for a while." She said. "Fact is, you wouldn't be here if you didn't have talent." Then she leaped out at them, making Nocturne jump back in surprise. "_Beast_ has cut you a lot of slack. _I_ prefer a more direct approach." She landed in a crouching position. "You may think you can run from what you are…"X-23 kicked TJ's side, making her fall. "…but you can't hide. _All_ you're really doing is making a greater danger for yourself-" she used TJ's body as a weapon, whipping it to take the unguarded Mike by surprise "-and anyone who happens to be around you. _Defend yourself_, kids! You've got powers; you've got skills—USE THEM!"

"Back off, Ms. Logan!" Rachel said, finally having enough, standing in front their friends. Oliver joined her, saying: "Leave them alone!"

X-23 grinned a predator's grin. "That a challenge, kids?" Rachel and Oliver looked at her, worried now. X-23 leaped at them. "Because I just _love_ a challenge."

Oliver actually did pretty well against her, dodging her first two blows. "Very _nice_, Oli." X-23 commented in approval. "_Very_ nice, indeed. I'm glad to see _someone's_ been paying attention. " Then she jumped up, kicking him in the chin, making him stagger back. "But I'm afraid you've still got a _lot_ to learn."

"Maybe not as much as you think." He said, jumping up to dodge her next hit. But X-23 grabbed his ankle. "Very _slick_, kiddo. You'll make your mother and father _proud_." Then she threw him into Rachel. "But not today."

Mike came up from her from behind. "Forgive me – but the day seems so full of possibilities!"

He tried to grab her, but she dropped down. "You're being too _nice_, kid." Laura grabbed his ankles as he realized what was going to happen. "Someone like _me_…"pushing him down "…you've got to hold hard enough to _hurt_!"

TJ was woozy, but Marrow grabbed her, pulling her to her feet. "C'mon, girl." She said. "I'm not doing so great now either –but sometimes you have to make the right choice, even if it hurts. Being here with you guys is teaching me that. You have to stand with some those that stand with you."

TJ grinned. "And I'm not going to just do nothing." She leaped out at X, punching her, which X blocked. Laura smiled again. "Well well well – who have we here?"

From nearby, Nate and Beast watched. "Nice punch." Beast said approvingly. Nate dismissed it. "She's only going to make her mad."

"But with anger comes mistakes." Beast said.

"Dream on." Nate said, not unkindly. "I just want them to do well. They all have so much potential."

"Potential for _what_?" Beast asked. "Haven't you considered that they may want something different? Just because you're _born_ with powers, Nate, doesn't mean you automatically put on a uniform. You've all seen and suffered so much. Perhaps you deserve a _break_ from that life. You've earned one."

Nate turned away, his face hard. "I wish the world was that simple. And that forgiving."

Meanwhile, TJ struck out at Laura again, which Laura grabbed. "Nice try, kiddo." She turned her over, making her fall. "But your timing and execution still need some _work_. You've all got brains to spare – but you've _got_ to stop taking combat skills for granted. What I'm doing may hurt, but it's _nothing_ compared to-"

Oliver stopped her temporarily by coming up. X-23 threw TJ at him in response. "What's _wrong_ with you, boy, what the devil d'you think you're _doing_?"

"I thought she needed help," said Oliver, puzzled. "I mean, it's only training."

"BULL!" X-23 shouted. "That kind of rationalization won't matter a _damn_ in reality, boy! If you can't learn to take proper care of yourself where it is safe – then how do you expect to have a prayer when you run into _real_ trouble!" She stormed off, leaving the youngsters in her wake.

"Well that was fun – NOT!" Marrow grouched.

"Maybe we _should_ work a little more on tactics." Oliver mused. Then he turned to Marrow. "What the heck's gotten into _you_, though?"

"You mean, because I don't like getting involved with you all?" she asked.

Oliver just grinned. "It's a start."

They all followed Laura back inside, sitting down on the couches. Nate, nearby in there, was with Beast, who he apparently had been working out with to. Then he turned to Wolverine, who was sitting on a kitchen chair. "Okay, I've fought with both Beast _and_ X. Will you teach me?"

Wolverine simply turned away. "No."

**AN: Well, that's the end of Part Two! A great deal of dialogue and action was stolen from GeNext, which is where Oliver makes most of his appearances. Some dialogue also comes from a relatively recent crossover, which may give you a clue to what canon character Nate is.**

**And I repeat my oft-answered question: Who do you think would make a good casting choice for the characters? (Born after or in 1986; now including X-23 and Wolvie).**

**Also, if you want more chapters, please review!**


	9. Feral, Part Three

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Three, 'Feral'**

**Part Three**

Nate stared at Wolverine, not quite comprehending what he had just said. "What do you _mean_, no?" he asked angrily.

"No, I'm not going to teach you anything. I'm not a teacher." Wolverine said, taking another sip of his coffee. Nate grabbed the mug and banged it against the table as he sat it down.

"Teach me!" he said forcefully. But Logan just shook his head and moved outdoors to the lawn chair. Rachel put a comforting hand on Nate's shoulder. "Nate…maybe you should-"

"Since _when_ have you known me to back down from a fight you _know_ I can win?" he asked angrily, shaking off her hand to stomp after Logan. The rest of them followed, eager for the show.

Wolverine didn't even make it halfway across the lawn when he felt the telekinetic shove that pushed him down. Turning over on his back, he saw Nate standing defiantly a few feet back, with the entire group a few feet further.

"Okay, kid-" he popped out his claws "-we fight. Maybe you'll learn something by experience."

He ran out at Nate who stood his ground, finally bringing a telekinetic wave that threw Wolverine to the side, slamming him into a tree. Nate then got in a little closer, until he saw that Wolverine had recovered. Using his telekinetic power, he rose a little in the air, kicking Wolverine back again and again. Wolverine finally used his claws to slash at him, but Nate blocked it with a telekinetic field. Finally, he just knocked him down. "NOW will you teach me?" Nate shouted. Wolverine still shook his head. "THEN WHY NOT?" he shouted. "WHY WON'T YOU TEACH ME?"

"Because you don't have a clue. You just want to learn to fight for the fighting. That's not what it's about – not what your parents would have wanted." Wolverine said defiantly.

Nate stared at him in shock of this new revelation. "I never thought you'd be the one spouting wisdom like that."

"So you don't care about why." Wolverine assumed.

"NO! Look – there's a difference between walking a path and running a tank over that path! I'm trying to tell you all that we have to be willing to use our powers to fight for what's right – not just think that because of our powers we have the _right_ to fight!" Nate yelled, his fists shaking with anger.

Wolverine stared at him for a long time before simply turning away. None of them caught his mouth turning up in a smile.

Later after dinner, Nate walked out to Logan, who was sitting on the lawn chair. "Please." He whispered. "Please teach me."

Logan turned around, smiling wirily. "What took you so long?"

**AN: That's the end of Episode Three! Now, here's my secret hope for reviews: **_**at least**_** one per chapter. So don't just favorite and watch, please review.**

**Next Up: Baptism of Fire: The young teens finally face their first threat as a team. **


	10. Baptism of Fire, Part One

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Four, 'Baptism of Fire**

**Part One**

Nate, Rachel, TJ, Oliver, Mike, and Sarah all sat around the breakfast table, picking at and eating their bowls of cereal. No one said anything, for the atmosphere was too uncertain between them. Nate was biting his lip as he traced a milk stain with his spoon, and TJ twirled her spoon with her three fingers like a baton in a marching band. Then, all of a sudden, they heard a noise coming from the living room.

"…_and his rampage is, so far, unhalted. Police efforts have failed up to now, and the citizens have fled in terror. The authorities for superhuman containment have been notified, but so far no one has responded."_

They all walked in, and saw Beast, Wolverine, and X-23 sitting on the main couch and watching the television, drinking in the content. On the screen, they saw a reporter speaking out on a local news channel. However, for the background, there were scenes of destruction: cars overturned, streets cracked, and small fires blazing up. In the background, a hulking figure was in shadow, leaving more destruction in his wake. Then, he turned to the camera, and it was an enormous figure in armor and a helmet, grinning mockingly. He smashed what must have been recording him, and the picture behind the reporter went to black.

"Who's that?" Nate asked, drawing the adult's attention for the first time. They turned around, seeing the group standing behind them.

"The Juggernaut." Beast said. "The closest thing on Earth you'll find to an indestructible force – and our original founder's step-brother. Your parents fought him multiple times."

"How did they beat him, then?"

"His mind. Although his helmet protects him from telepathic attacks, if removed, he's vulnerable to-" Beast stopped his automatic lecture, coughing. "You aren't going to-you aren't thinking you will _fight_ him, right?"

None of the teenagers said anything, but Beast could tell he'd hit on their thoughts. "He's dangerous, and you have very little training. You are not ready for him."

"Aren't you supposed to inspire us?" Rachel asked, a little accusing. "Tell us not to let people down, even when we know we might fail? People are _suffering_, Hank!" she pleaded.

Hank paused a little, clearly thinking out the right answer that could not undermine his morality. "The authorities will get to this. You need to stay here and stay safe."

"How long will it be before they get to this?" TJ asked, her questions hanging in the air like haunting music. "How many people will die before it's over?"

"That's _enough_!" Beast snapped, trying to escape her question. "Stay here." He looked at all of their faces, grim. "That's an order."

Later that night, the TV still played as Beast and Wolverine were settling down for sleep. X-23 had gone into the backyard, and the silent teens still watched the TV, which still showed scenes of the Juggernauts trail, now leading into other towns nearby the first. "Doesn't this guy_ ever_ get tired?" Mike asked, hoping to diffuse the tension.

"Apparently not." Marrow said, then paused for a minute, hoping to get her words right. "Look, I know you all wanna be big damn heroes and run off, but Beast has a point. We need to stay safe. If your parents had done that, they might still be alive-"

"They made their choice." Nate said, interrupting her, then he grabbed her shoulders firmly. "It's time you made yours. If you're with us, then _be with us!_"

She looked down at the floor, helpless.

**Break**

All of the teens were dressed in clothes such as T-Shirts, jeans, and sweatpants – clothes that they could move around in. They snuck out of the front door and down the front steps, Nate leading the way, holding up a finger to his lips to remind them to be quiet. Then Mike stepped wrong, making a _creeak_ and they all turned around at him accusingly.

"That step always creaks." A voice from the front yard said, making the teens whirl around, seeing X-23 leaning against the van, dressed in jeans and a T-Shirt. She seemed causal enough, but the fact she _was_ in a pose of normality was a sign that she was tense. The group all stared at her, none of them saying anything. Finally, she had to break the silence, an unusual habit for the former weapon to make. "I promised Beast I wouldn't let you get hurt."

"Then come with us." Oliver said simply.

The edges of a smile played around her face. Out of her pocket, she took a pair of keys, jingled them, and tossed them to Nate, who caught them easily. He ran up to the driver's side, pulled open the door, and sat down in the car. Rachel, TJ, Mike, Oliver, and Sarah all piled in the back, while X-23 grabbed a nearby duffel bag, putting it around her shoulders as she sat down in the passenger seat. She patted the bag. "I brought guns."

"Wonderful." Nate said, grinning the grin that only danger and adrenaline could really bring on.

They all drove out of the driveway, and started down the long road. X-23, luckily, had also brought a GPS system. Even though you couldn't really type in 'scene of terror and destruction' on it, Mike had remembered where the last scene they had seen on the TV had been and typed it in, giving Nate the directions.

Rachel was worried, though – not about the fight so much, which was making them all tense, but about her brother's driving. "Nate, do you know how to drive a car any better than a plane."

"A little. I've got a theory about driving now." He said.

"Which is?" Rachel asked skeptically.

"'Ignore everything but the wheel and the pedals and you'll be fine'", he said, and then drove faster before they could change their minds.

**Break**

They drove for long hours, each of them silent, lost in their own thoughts and feelings. Finally, they reached the town where Juggernaut was – it wasn't hard to tell that a giant unstoppable force was running wild. They all got out of the car, and, for a moment, just stared at the destruction around them.

**AN: And so these young people begin their first fight against an enemy! Parts Two and Three – they are gonna be ACTION GALORE! **

**I wrote this already, because I wanted to write this part, but I didn't want to publish until I had more reviews (that's the kind of writer I am). So, maybe that'll help convince you to do more reviews. **


	11. Baptism of Fire, Part Two

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Four, 'Baptism of Fire**

**Part Two**

The eyes of Nathan and Rachel Summers, Talia Josephine (TJ) Wagner, Oliver LeBeau, Michael Pryde-Rasptain, Sarah Daniels, and Laura Logan (or X-23) stared into the destruction that was a symbol of what happened to those that crossed the Juggernaut. The behemoth himself was busy in another part of town, so that gave them all a few minutes. Finally, Mike perked up the courage to ask Nate "What's the plan?"

"What plan?" he replied.

That really got Marrow angry. "You mean you _dragged us all down here_ to go fight _an unstoppable Juggernaut_ in what may be the _worst driving ever_ and you mean to tell us you _DON'T EVEN HAVE A PLAN?"_

"Pretty much, yeah." He shrugged. "Except for: make it up as I go along."

"My favorite." Rachel said dryly.

Suddenly, the sound of stamping feet came back in their direction, and they all ducked behind the car. "Now, everyone, remember: he is vulnerable to psychic attack, but we've got to get that helmet off." Nate reminded, and they all ran out to the front, staring down the Juggernaut.

"I guess they ran out of _real_ heroes and started looking for the kindergarteners, eh?" he sneered, then he threw a punch that probably would have killed them all…if Mike hadn't had them all holding hands and been making them intangible. The boy cracked a feeble grin. "That all you got…bub?"

Juggernaut got a little madder, and this time charged the group, making them break ranks in the face of newfound fury. X-23 leaped from the side, trying to shred her claws into his armor, but that armor was made out of something even _adamantium_ couldn't cut through, making her efforts useless. However, she adapted to the situation, cutting off a few of the latches that attached his helmet before he threw her off.

Now TJ and Oliver charged him, TJ doing a flip over on his back, hanging on like a baby monkey, undoing a few more latches, while Oliver grabbed a portion of his arm that wasn't covered by armor. For a second, the Juggernaut got woozy, but he shook off Oliver's hand. "Nice try, leech, but my power isn't some card trick. It's being _unstoppable_!" he punctuated that last word with a blow to Oliver that did absolutely no harm at all.

"And now…I know the feeling." Oliver said simply, before grabbing the Juggernaut's leg and swinging him around to hit the side of a building (luckily, TJ had gotten off a second before). Marrow now pelleted his form with bone shards, while Oliver backed off a little.

Meanwhile, Nate searched through the car. "Laura, I know you brought it." he muttered to himself. "Where did you put it? Where did you put-" he saw the duffel bag "-it."

The Juggernaut was now _really_ mad, and he shook the bones off of him as he stood up, towering above the rest of them. "You…little…kids…are…about…to-" his words were cut off by an enormous energy blast from his back. When he staggered back, they all saw Nate, holding a giant energy rifle. Nate spoke "Yeah, yeah, you gave us your best shot, Juggernaut." He held the gun with his right hand, and that arm crossed in front of him. "Now it's _my_ turn!"

**AN: Well, I now have one review per every chap (except this one now), so you get an update.**


	12. Baptism of Fire, Part Three

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Four, 'Baptism of Fire**

**Part Three**

Juggernaut stared at Nate, who was holding a laser gun right in front of him. "You've got to be kidding, right? You can't honestly think that you can beat me with that thing?"

"Couldn't hurt…well, couldn't hurt anyone but you, anyway." Nate shrugged as he fired off a few more blasts.

The rest of the team regrouped behind a wall. "I'm going to _kill_ him for this." Rachel grumbled. "How in the world he thinks using a _gun_ will work is beyond me…but that's not important right now. What we need to do is get that helmet off."

"We've all been cutting off a few of the straps." Mike volunteered. "Now someone just needs to get off the last few and pull off the helmet."

"I can do the straps." TJ volunteered.

"Yeah." Mike said, nodding. "And I'd volunteer for the taking the helmet off, but there's a problem: I'd have to be tangible to take hold of the helmet, and I don't like the thought of getting close enough to Juggernaut tangible."

"But you _have_ to." Rachel said, grabbing his shoulders. "If you don't, it'll just be someone else who gets hurt, and you have the best chance." He looked startled, but nodded.

X-23 grinned. "Let's show this behemoth who he's messing with."

Juggernaut threw a punch at Nate, who blocked it telekinetically – albeit barely. The Juggernaut almost pushed away his mental power as if it were physical. Nate was getting worried…

Then TJ jumped up from behind on Juggernaut, quickly making a small energy residue from her finger and using that to unstrap the latches instead, before Juggernaut shook her off. Rachel caught her telekinetically before TJ could get hurt, and Mike moved into position.

Moving quickly, Mike touched the helmet – making it intangible with him- then grabbed it, lifting it off of his opponent's head. Juggernaut whirled around, but now, instead of the young teen, Rachel was standing in front of him, her eyes almost glowing. "I'm Rachel. Guess what _I_ do!" She said, grinning.

"Oh _no_." Juggernaut groaned.

"Oh_ yes_." Rachel smirked, mentally blasting him for all she was worth. As he groaned from the mental pain, he fell down, causing a huge 'thump' to be heard. Now, in the face of their victory, the team stared at the destroyed city and the new sun that rose over it, lighting it up with feeble beams of light.

**AN: I got a review pretty quickly after I finished the last chapter, so I'm obligated to write and post this one pretty quickly.**

**Next Episode: Second Genesis: The team returns to where it all started…and truly become the New X-Men.**


	13. Second Genesis, Part One

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Five, 'Second Genesis'**

**Part One**

As the sun rose over the wrecked town, for the first time, the impact of what had just happened sunk into the brains of the young people. Marrow stared at her hands as if trying to visualize what they had done, Mike had to sit down and catch his breath, and the rest just seemed lost in confusion.

People around them slowly began to peek out: from behind buildings, upturned cars, or anything nearby. A group of policemen come out, and one of them asks the group of heroes "Who are you people?"

Rachel answers the question, turning around with a look of steel in her eyes. "We're X-Men."

That signal sets the stunned media off, calling on the group cameramen, nosy reporters, and a blur of light and sound. Only garbled snippets of questions make their way to the group's ears, and they started backing up immediately. Nate leading their flight, they all ran to the car, and started back the way they had come.

It was a long time on the road, and only later did Rachel say out loud to Nate: "Everyone's going to know now about what happened."

He nodded, keeping his eyes on the road, and Rachel continued. "We've done something big. It was right…but we've done more than just save a bunch of people. We set something in motion."

"I _know_." He grumped, and kept driving.

"You better be thinking about a plan." TJ warned. Nate absently nodded.

Then, once they finally pulled into the driveway, Mike made a small "meep!" and Rachel simply said "Uh-oh."

Wolverine and Beast were standing in front, both having their arms crossed across their chests, and their faces were set in grim anger.

**Break**

Nate got out of the driver's seat, and Wolverine was there in a flash, grabbing him by his shirt. "_What were you thinking?"_ He yelled at Nate, causing him to flinch. _"You could have been killed! You could have gotten them all killed!"_

"It was our choice to make!" TJ protested, getting out of the car.

"And you shouldn't have gone out there." Beast said, in stern tones. "You disobeyed us. And _you_ shouldn't have let them!" He snapped at X-23.

"Their powers can be useful." She said coolly.

"They're _children_, remember?" Hank snapped.

"So were the original X-Men." Nate said. "I-I'm not saying it was right of us, running off, but it was a little bit necessary."

"We saved people, Hank!" Rachel pleaded. "Doesn't that count for something?"

He paused, thinking, then he turned to Wolverine. "Let go of the boy. We need to talk."

Wolverine dropped him roughly on the ground, and walked with Beast toward the house. They conversed in low whispers for a while, before the two of them returned. "Get in the car," Beast said. "And Nate – no more driving for you."

He dropped his head, and the others exchanged looks of relief. Beast got in the driver's seat, Wolverine in the passenger, and the rest piled into the back.

The drive was long, and the silence constant. No one dared to say anything, until they stopped.

The scene in front of them was a gate, blown to the ground, where a tattered metal plate said: **Xavier's Institute for the Gifted**. Further up, was a scene of a totally ruined mansion. Only a few walls and things still stood up, looking all the weaker for that attempt.

The others just stared at it in horror.

**AN: This episode is a two-parter instead of a three.**

**New poll on my profile page casts Nate Summers.**

**R&R!**


	14. Second Genesis, Part Two

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Five, 'Second Genesis'**

**Part Two**

The scene in front of them was a gate, blown to the ground, where a tattered metal plate said: **Xavier's Institute for the Gifted**. Further up, was a scene of a totally ruined mansion. Only a few walls and things still stood up, looking all the weaker for that attempt.

The original students of Beast just stared at it in horror, before they all ran out of the car, over the gate and standing in a field of ashes and dust. They all knew what it meant, but the shock was so strong it couldn't seem to process. Marrow came up with them, staring at the dust…remembering how her own father died. Then Beast, Wolverine, and X-23 followed, all trying their hardest to wear a mask over their grief.

"I've brought you back here for a reason." Beast started out, slowly. "You need to be brought back to where it all began for your decision – to stay here, or keep on the road. I _know_ what you're likely to say when I'm finished – you're just following what you think your parents might have done. But with history, it gives you paths, and chances for choices.

Option one: You stay here, we set up shop again, and you become heroes. You will go to school, and you will follow the rules, while balancing the life of a hero-in-training. You accept the risks…and remember what could be the consequences.

Option two: We go on the road again. We will still train a little, learn a little, and maybe pick up other mutants in trouble. You will not go off running into danger.

I know this is a big decision. Think, talk amongst yourselves, and make up your minds. This is a good place for this…letting you see the lives of heroes have consequences. Then, decide."

He finished, and Wolverine, X, and him all walked away, to another spot of the grounds, leaving the teens alone in their thoughts.

All of them knew option one would be a big change…adjusting to the new world they faced, meeting some new faces, handling a double life. Also, there was the mass graveyard they stood in to remind them of dangers. Option two would be similar to what they had just been facing, but could they really go back to that? After all they had been through, after all they knew? Then Rachel cleared her throat, and all of them turned toward her.

"The dream," Rachel started out, a bit uncertainly. "Charles Xavier's dream – of a world where _all_ of Earth's children, mutant and otherwise, live together in peace and harmony. Where people are judged for who they _are_ – not who they look like or how they're born. That's why the X-Men were born, to carry it out. You can't just say, that because they're dead…we have to give up."

"I once had a dream," TJ said softly, "in which you told me that 'When the reality doesn't exist anymore, we can take the legend, and make it whatever we want…change it for the better'."

"Are…are you suggesting we become the new X-Men?" Marrow said, with a touch of fear in her voice.

"We have the shot," Oliver said, smiling a bit, growing in confidence. "I say we should take it."

"It won't be easy," Nate said, warning them all a bit, while not adverse to the idea. "That's what we're here to see – to be reminded of."

"The X-Men – our parents – thought enough of Professor Xavier's dream to offer up their _lives_." Rachel said. "Is it really so much to ask we fight to preserve it? Do we want – have we the right – to snuff it out?"

"I've been running all my life." Marrow said, softly. "Can't remember when I wasn't afraid of something or other. Well, I'm tired of running, tired of being afraid – I want to make a stand."

"I stand for truth." Mike said, reaching up to put a hand on her bony shoulder. "And with you all."

"I _like_ this dream." Nate said simply. "I think it's _worth_ fighting for." He came in with Marrow, Rachel, and Mike.

"What the heck?" TJ said, grinning a bit. "Count me in."

"I wouldn't miss this for the world." Oliver said, pulling TJ with him to join the others.

"Is there still room for one more?" A voice said, and X-23 was behind them.

"Always." Rachel said, smiling a little, as they parted to make room for her in the circle.

"I guess, in the end, I always knew what they would choose." Beast said, with Wolverine with him, watching the group from a distance. "It's one of their best qualities."

"You taught 'em well." Wolverine said, smiling in a gruff way. "I don't think even Chuck could've done any better."

In the circle, Mike asked, out of the blue. "Don't you guys think we should have names now? I mean, we are superheroes?"

TJ put out her hand. "Nocturne."

Oliver put his on top. "Wildcard."

"Marrow". One more hand

"X-23." Another.

"Ariel." Mike laid his on top.

"Marvel Girl." Rachel joined her hand.

Nate hesitated for a moment, and then added his, saying "Cable."

"So long, Mom and Dad," Oliver said, joking a little, but with a sentimental tone. "It's time for _us_ to take our shot at dreaming."

**AN: Well, that's the end of the first arc of the season! This arc is called 'X-Men'. **

**I love this chapter SO MUCH, so please review.**

**Poll for Nate casting is still up, and please vote!**

**Next arc (not episode): 'Brotherhood'.**


	15. Petra, Part One

_(NOTE: The events in this arc take place before the previous one, 'X-Men' – this episode is a few months before the pilot)_

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Five, 'Petra'**

**Part One**

In San Francisco, inside a bar that flickering neon lights outside named '_Nick's'_, a middle-aged man, tall with shaggy brown hair, was polishing a glass with a rag. Suddenly, he heard footsteps running down the stairs that led to the above apartment, where he and his daughter lived. Then he saw her, a teenage girl with long brown hair and brown eyes like his own, dressed in a simple T-Shirt and jeans, with a backpack slung over one of her shoulders, running to the door.

"See ya Dad!" She called over her shoulder as she ran to the door.

He frowned. "Where are you going again?"

She came to a stop a foot from the door, sighing in exasperation. "_Babysitting_, Dad! I told you already!" Before he could utter another sound, she was out the door and running toward the end of their street corner. She scoffed once she was far enough away. "_Babysitting_. I still can't believe he believes that."

A car pulled up at the corner, with an Asian girl with blue highlights in her hair at the drivers' wheel, and a punky blonde girl in the back seat. "C'mon Danny! You'll be late for your big spotlight!" The Asian girl called.

Danny grinned. "What makes you think I was missing it?" She opened the passenger seat door, and slid on, buckling up before the car started up again. Danny unzipped her backpack, pulling out a sketchpad and rifling through it before she found a certain page. Roughly, she shoved it in front of the punk girl, whose eyes widened – it was a well-done painting of Captain America punching Hitler in the face. A text balloon made him shout "_Am I real?"_

"Still going for the superhero theme?" The punk girl asked.

"Still going, Amity." Danny replied. "'_Are superheroes good?'_ But I feel like that I need to find something even edgier if I want to win that art contest."

"Ah, don't worry." The driver said. "You'll do great – just like you will now. We're here."

The car had stopped in front of a club covered in neon lights and blaring music and reeking of sweat. But Danny couldn't care about that – if it got her fame, than she wouldn't care if it was a crack house. She swung her backpack over her shoulder, and walked around to the back door. The bouncer there looked at her, and grunted "You the music player for the night?"

She nodded confidently, and he grunted again and let her in. Danny spotted a door on her right, entitled 'Ladies' and walked in. Ignoring the fact that there were little puddles of god-knows-what around the bathroom, as well as toilet paper squares and flies everywhere, she quickly changed out of her simple outfit, and started redoing her look.

Danny first put on a tight, fire-engine red shirt, then over that, a leather jacket with gold stars glittering on it. Tight black leather pants went on next, then a lacy black skirt over that, and then leather boots. For her long brown hair, she plugged in removable purple streaks, and entwined them with her real hair. On went multicolored bracelets, and lacy black fingerless gloves. Then she put on black eye shadow and eyeliner – nothing too heavy, she _did_ want them to recognize her.

Walking out of the bathroom, her driver handed her an electric guitar, and an unlabeled spritzer bottle, with a look of concern. "Danny, are you sure that…"

"Relax, Suzanne." Danny said dismissively. "I worked it all out – I'll be fine. And if I'm not…" she allowed herself a secret, mischievous smile "Then I'll be _unforgettable_."

Spraying her clothes with the stuff inside the bottle, she walked to the back of the stage, hidden with a black curtain, holding her guitar with a look of sheer glee. The sleazy sound guy gave her a look of appreciation, which she quelled with a look of disgust. From out in the front, she heard the owner announcing her. "You may have heard or seen her before, but I guarantee, tonight will blow you away!"

Danny rolled her eyes. Another drama queen, hyping it all up. But then again…wasn't that a bit like the pot calling the kettle black? Then she heard him announcing. "And now, 16-year-old music and art genius, here to play for you all, _DANNY…PETROS!_

Putting on a look of sheer cockiness, and a bit of smugness at another who recognized her talent, Danny pulled aside the curtains dramatically and walked – more like strutted, actually – to the front of the stage, seeing all the people cheering her on, drinking it up. "Well, hello, all of you! It's good to be here!" she called, bringing on another round of applause. "But no more talking, and bring on the music! First, I'm gonna be playing and singing a mash-up of songs from my two favorite artists!"

Tuning her guitar, already plugged in, she started playing chords, strong and blaring, as she leaned into a set-up mike. "_My one and only shinin' star said 'Stick with me, I'll take you far'_," she sang. "_Your eyes are sparklin' with teenage fire, I'll satisfy your mad desires. 'Cause I love playin' with fire. And I don't wanna get burned. I love playin' with fire. Don't think I'll ever learn!"_

Then the music shifted a bit – changed, became different in tune. _"Don't you know that, I'm burning up for your love? You're not convinced that that is enough. To justify my wanting you, now tell me what you want me to do. I'm not blind, and I know, that you want to want me but you can't let go. C'mon let's go!"_ she sang, feeling the power of her song rushing through her. _"Oh, I'm burning up, burning up for your love. I'm burning up, burning up for your love. I'm burning up, burning up for your love. For your love!"_

Then she did what was probably the riskiest venture yet, even for Danny Petros – she took a silver lighter from her pants pocket, and lit it, than touched her coat sleeve with it, than her pants at the knee. As planned, the gasoline she had earlier sprayed them with made them light quickly, as the audience gasped in terror. But Danny was fine, and had practiced for this, had calculated that they probably wouldn't burn the leather fast enough to burn her, at least not before the song was over. Sliding forward on her knees, making the audience back away, she balled her hands into fists and continued.

"_Do you wanna see me down on my knees? Or bending over backwards now, would you be pleased? I'm not the others, I'd do anything. I'm not the same, I have no shame, I'm on FIRE!"_ She sang powerfully, as the music shifted again. _"Acting tough with looks that kill. You got me goin' and I can't stand still. My arms are dyin' to hold ya tight. You're my little dark dynamite, you know I love playin' with fire. And I don't wanna get burned. I love playin' with fire. Don't think I'll ever learn._"

The music ended, as her earlier companions Amity and Suzanne raced forward with fire extinguishers to put out her flaming clothes. Danny grinned at the audience as her helpers backed away. "Well, that wasn't something you'd seen before, was it? Told ya – I-LOVE-PLAYIN'-WITH-_FIRE!_"

And from then on, the audience was hooked to her songs, kept listening and watching straight through more of her favorites: 'Justify My Love', 'Like It Or Not', 'Nobody Knows Me', 'California Paradise', 'Trash Can Murders', 'School Days', 'I Love Rock n' Roll', 'Hell is For Children', 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun', and, for a finale, 'Born to be Bad'. The audience was catcalling by the time she left the stage, sweating buckets, but grinning like a madwoman. Suzanne and Amity both hugged her, and offered her a ride home, but she declined, saying that "My dad thinks I'm babysitting, remember? It'll look suspicious if I don't look like I walked home." Besides, she needed some time to think on her performance – her strange, beautiful, thrilling performance.

Changing in the bathroom again, back to her jeans and a T-Shirt ensemble, washing off any remains of makeup, Danny felt practically on top of the world, and so didn't look behind her when she left, didn't notice the boys following her.

The walk wasn't very far from home, only a block or two if she stuck to the ally. Danny was right in the middle of the walk when she heard them after her. She felt the chill of it, the fear that all of a sudden clung to her heart, but she tried to shake it off. Then, one of them who must have climbed the gate around or something jumped in front of her, making her back up straight into the others. She could hear their taunts as if from a distance, as if she was underwater. When the first one grabbed her arm, she kicked him in the shin, and tried to run, but two of the others grabbed her arms. Feeling the fear again, the adrenaline coursing through her system, hearing her heart race, she screamed loudly – and _something_ happened. It was like someone had shoved her attackers, though no one had – like they had slid backwards quickly. The first one was recovering, coming toward her, and when she held out her hand at him, a giant piece of rock flew at him, whacking him in the chest and pushing him back against the brick wall. Then Danny was running again, running all the way back home.

She was inside the bar before she stopped to catch her breath, and saw her father, Nick Petros, slumped over at his bar with the heaviness of alcohol. "Dad!" She shook him, and all he did was make a vague noise of grunting. Comforted a little by the familiarity of this routine, she dragged him upstairs with her, lying him out on his bed, before she went to her own room.

Her room was cluttered with her personality – taped articles of her idols, of herself, awards that she had won, framed pictures of some of her paintings. Her desk contained a computer, a video camera, a few framed photos of herself when she was younger and her dad. Across her room and bed was strewn old clothes and CDs, which she kicked aside to sit on the bed. She stared out her window over her bed, seeing the street below, before turning to her desk and seeing a few old pet rocks she had painted when she was younger. Remembering her strange experience in the ally, she waved her hand testily, trying to make them do something – move? Fly? Tango? – when they rolled over to the far end of the desk.

**AN: For all the people who have favorited, I would really appreciate it if you would now start reviewing regularly. It warms my heart.**

**I know that the premise of this episode is very different from the last previous ones, but relax – it'll all make sense soon enough.**


	16. Petra, Part Two

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Five, 'Petra'**

**Part Two**

"Danny…are you _sure_ this is the painting you want to enter?"

Danny, with her brown hair in a high ponytail, wearing a paint-splattered apron over jeans and a T-Shirt, stood proudly in the art room of her school, right in front of her painting (that she had stayed up all last night to do). Her painting was of Cyclops, with a laser having passed straight through his stomach that left his innards splattered on the wall behind him. Text balloons made him say: "Differences are not permitted." "Who's the greatest performer of all time, Madonna or Magneto?" "The tension between freedom and the need to control what we fear."

"Yes." Danny said simply to her art teacher. "Yes, I'm sure."

Mrs. Lorenzo was caught at a crossroads. Danny was her most promising student, and she always encouraged her to paint what she felt. On the other hand, she wanted Danny to do well, and she had a feeling a painting like this wouldn't win anything. Then, the bell rang for the end of school, saving her from answering. Danny raced for the door, throwing off her apron and grabbing a leather jacket as she went. When she made it out of the school, she went over near a large statue of James Madison, where Amity and Suzanne were sitting.

"Well, how'd it go?" Suzanne asked apprehensively.

Danny shrugged as she put on her jacket. "She can't forbid me to enter it, can she? Although the school may kick me out on the excuse of my grades, they haven't been too good lately…"  
"But why _mutants_?" Amity pressed.

"I _told_ you, it's because they are a minority – some of whom are or were either superheroes or villains. They've been underrated severely by the art community, and it's my turn to show the world about them. Plus, I've been a fan of Magneto and his family since I was a kid." Danny answered, still not saying the reason she had stumbled upon the idea.

Suzann tactfully changed the subject. "I like your jacket. Where'd you get it?"

"The mall." Danny said. "It cost fifty dollars." Then her expression turned sly. "Or it would have if I had actually paid for it. Anyway, I've gotta get going. We're still on for later, right?" Without an answer, she jogged away, towards the far side of town.

BREAK

The construction site was covered in dirt and rocks, but except for Danny, empty. Perfect.

Danny narrowed her eyes at a boulder, extended her arm, then shifted it up, willing the rock to do the same – and it did. Now was time for another test.

She looked at the metal bar, and repeated the same process as the boulder – but it didn't move. Looks like it only works on rock, she decided. Then she wondered – was her powers really only limited to _moving_ the rock? She extended both her arms, and felt the ground rise up beneath her, moving her up. A simple thought, and it moved to the right, and to the left. Another thought, and she saw pebbles, many of them, surrounding her. Danny grinned. This was going to be _fun_.

BREAK

"Come back! Get back here you little minxes!"

"Dude, join the twenty-first century! _Nobody_ uses 'minxes' anymore!" Amity yelled back over her shoulder as Danny, Suzanne, and herself all ran through the mall, wearing dark sunglasses (stolen), having their hair up in ponytails, and wearing heavy sweatshirts and sweatpants (stolen), carrying bags of clothes (stolen). By the time the mall cops were anywhere near the store owner, all three of them were sitting on the fountain, having shed the sunglasses and sweatshirts and sweatpants, now all dressed in their normal clothes.

"Whew!" said Danny, wiping her forehead dramatically. "That was close! For a moment, I actually thought this one would run after us!"

"Yeah, but only two ever had." Suzanne grinned. "And one of them _said_ he was crippled!"

The gang all exchanged high-fives, before splitting up, carrying the clothes as they went back home. This was no unfamiliar route to them, as they had all been involved with minor crimes before. Fast running and good disguises had saved them all from arrest.

But for how long?

BREAK

"Save the Shack! Save the Shack!" people chanted around Danny, restrained barely by cops, all carrying signs reading things that basically related to their chant – to not destroy the Neon Shack, a local club. Danny had performed in it a few times, and for her, the protest was more about the thrill of the thing than any actual desire to help save the Shack.

For the last week, her life had been even busier than usual – uploading to her YouTube channel her music, producing art relating to her new mutant theme, nighttime jaunts to parties and clubs, petty crime, and practicing her newfound powers (on the web, she found out the technical term for rock manipulation was _geokinesis_).

Then, over on the other side of the street, she saw the mayor and some city officials getting out of a fancy car. The crowd roared, and the mayor, perhaps meaning to be friendly, waved at them.

Big mistake. The crowd rushed forward as a surge, Danny among them, both trampled and trampling, caught up in the mob. More cops arrived, and the protesters fought back, both sides pushing hard, and the young mutant got caught in the middle. Danny tried to use her powers, but there was so much confusion it was useless. The feelings that emerged her: helplessness, fear, useless anger…It was like drowning in a sea of chaos.

**AN: Well, I think that last chapter got the most responses of any chapter of this story yet! I should write about mashup-playing, fire-starting, talented, geokinetic, father-lying, leather-wearing girls **_**way**_** more often.**

**Anyway, here are a few more tips for prospective casters:**

**The teens (Nate, Rachel, Oli, TJ, Mike, Sarah, and Danny) have to be born later than 1986. Nate has brown hair, and he and Oli are taller than the rest of the teens (see poll casting for Nate on my profile page). Oliver is **_**very**_** cute, with brown hair and a nice smile (but not way ripped or muscled or whatever). Rachel has red hair, and it doesn't **_**have**_** to be cut short, although it is in the story. Mike is a more younger-appearing teen than the others (small and cute from his mother, but dark hair and square jaw from his father). Sarah doesn't necessarily **_**have**_** to be African-American (she has mixed racial background from her mother). TJ doesn't **_**have**_** to be Caucasian(blue fur, remember?), but she isn't obviously another ethnic group.**

**X-23: Summer Glau (Only person I could ever see playing X).**

**Also, thought I'd mention: I don't own this stuff, therefore I cannot get paid (However, I do like videos and art based on my work, and you can reward me with THAT). **


	17. Petra, Part Three

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Five, 'Petra'**

**Part Three**

Nick Petros looked down at the bottle cap he had absentmindedly been twiddling, and sighed as he moved from behind his bar counter to the trash can, where he dropped it unceremonially. Then, he heard Aerosmith's 'Dream On' from his cell phone in his pocket, and pulled it out, opening it up as he moved it to his ear. "Hello?" He asked.

"Oh, great!" He heard his daughter's voice come from the phone, along with a multitude of other sounds – shouting the predominant one. "Danny?" He asked, concerned. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Danny said cheerfully. "I'm just under arrest."

"Arrest?" Nick almost dropped the phone, before he turned it in his hand to stare at it, and then returned it to his ear. "You mean…you mean you're calling me from JAIL?"

"Yep."

"How…how did it happen?"

"Oh, you see, I was at this protest, and things got out of hand," Danny started. "But that's not important now, Dad. I need you to come to the station-"

"And post bail? Get a lawyer?" Nick asked, trying to remember what the number for their last one was.

"NO." Danny shouted, trying to make herself heard over the noise. "I don't need a lawyer. The cops will probably release us in a few hours or so – plus, I'm a minor. I need you to come pick me up and take me home. It's too far for me to walk. You can do that, right?"

"Wha-yeah. Yeah, I can do that." Nick said, trying to control his swirling emotions.

"Thanks Dad!" And she hung up.

BREAK

Danny shuffled back to her cell – a pretty simple one, with the traditional metal gate barring her out. The brick wall was to her back, and it had no window. All she had to say is, thank god they didn't have her change into one of those ugly orange jumpsuits.

Wait…

She jumped up, struck by an idea. Why not use her powers to get out? Even if the wall was brick and not stone, she was on the ground floor – which meant the options were wide open. Danny quickly ran to the wall and knelt, pressing her hands to the floor. She channeled her power from within her, feeling, rather than seeing what she was doing – a wave of power, or for her, earth.

When she looked up, the brick wall that locked her in was gone, blown in front by the earth. She could see the back alley of the jailhouse yard, and that led to freedom. Instead of any dramatic marches or taunts, Danny walked out simply and silently – both not exactly her most common traits.

However, there were obstacles she hadn't bet on – a squad of cops saw her, and called out. She flung out her arm, and a wall of rock slammed one to his back. Then they started shooting, and she flung up different weapons and defenses of rock – walls for safety, then they became projectiles for offence. Danny was getting confident, and that was her mistake. She didn't see the officer with the new weapon, not quite out behind her. She didn't see him crawling right down her trail. And she never saw him raise his weapon, and didn't feel the shock that knocked her out.

BREAK

Nick Petros leaned over angrily. "You used a _stun gun_ on my underage daughter?"

"She was trying to break loose!" The guilty officer protested, both of them sitting at a wooden table in a private room, while Danny, handcuffed to the chair in between them, sat down and the chief gathered something with his back to the three of them. "She attacked my men with powers I don't quite understand – that girl's a _mutant_, and a right dangerous one at that!"

Nick pushed his hand through his hair, letting out a sigh. "I don't believe this…this can't be happening…"

"I know it's hard," said the officer comfortingly, "but you've got to face the truth. She needs to be-"

"_What_?" Nick asked in a dangerous tone. "Needs to be _what_?"

"Needs to be punished accordingly and sent to a place where they can handle cases like this one." The chief answered, finally turning around. "Your daughter is a mutant _and_ a criminal. This isn't her first offence – she's been spotted in cases of petty theft, vandalism, and trespassing."

Nick stared at the officer in shock, and then turned to his daughter with anger. "Danny…"

"I was just-" Danny started in protest, but was cut off by a furious father. "I don't want to hear it! You grow up, you hear me? You have to take your responsibilities!"

Danny bit back the angry rant forming on her tongue. Her father had left her waiting too many times in the rain, forcing her to go and drag him out of whatever situation he had gotten himself into. She had cleaned up his puke, she had mopped one too many floors of spilled booze. She had always taken care of herself, and quite a lot of the time, _him_ too. And he wanted _her_ to take responsibilities? Hah!

"I'm sorry sir." The chief said, sounding quite sorry indeed. "We need to put her somewhere. Don't worry – they handle cases like this one all the time."

**AN: That's the end of this episode, and the Brotherhood arc begins in earnest!**

**Question: Do you want me, when I draw the designs for the characters, and put them on deviantArt (my user name's the same), to draw them a la:**

**Realistically (like real people)**

**Comic-Style (more like you might see in a comic)**

**Cartoon (like Steven E. Gordon did for Evo)**

**Next Episode: Mirror (But I would advise reading and reviewing my fanfic Wicked before you read/watch the next chapter/episode)**


	18. Mirror, Part One

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Seven, 'Mirror'**

**Part One**

"Tommy, cut that out!"

"Make me!"

"I will, then!"

"You'll have to catch me first!" Tommy Maximoff grinned, throwing a defiant taunt over his shoulder at his all-but-identical twin Billy (Billy had dark hair, while his was white) as he ran (superhumanly fast) throughout the kitchen. An arrangement of ingredients and griddles for pancakes were set up throughout the kitchen.

"Fine!" Billy yelled, irritated to the supreme with his annoying twin. He made a gesture (not _that_ one) at Tommy, and then, a blue barrier of energy sprang up in front of the speedster, forcing him to stop.

"All right, settle down!" Their mother entered the room, and flung her arms out, bringing down the barrier and causing both of them to turn towards her. "Now, are you two going to help me out with this or are we all going to just have cereal?"

The two immediately (Tommy almost literally) started to help mix the ingredients as their mother, Wanda Maximoff, smiled at them and moved to work too.

The family dynamic was unusual; Tommy and Billy didn't know their father, and when they asked their mother she just looked sad. They knew they had met when their mother was a superhero by the name of the Scarlet Witch, but they didn't know much else. Their mom had always given as much love and devotion as she could to them, as if to make up for the paternal lack in their life. Tommy and Billy were both mutants: Tommy had the white hair, cocky attitude, and speed of their Uncle Pietro; and Billy had the dark hair, quiet nature, and reality-screwing powers of his mom.

Suddenly, there was a large crash, which made both Wanda and Tommy turn to Billy. Over at his station, there seemed to be an explosion of baking materials and a large, gloopy liquid dripped off the wall while his hands glowed blue. "Sorry." He said sheepishly. "This sort of thing has kinda been happening a lot lately…"

Wanda went over to Billy, sending Tommy a Look that clearly meant _Clean up the mess, I'll deal with Billy_. "It's okay." She said, giving him a big hug. "It took a while for me to control my powers too. I keep trying to contact Agatha Harkness, the lady that taught me, but she's hard to track down…"

Billy nodded, and continued to move on, the memories of how he got his powers flashing through his head.

_It was after school, and I had just gotten home. I remember I was on the couch, and I remember holding a tissue to my bleeding nose. A black eye was starting to come on, and I had other bruises too._

_Mom came, and she was really concerned. "Are you all right?" she asked, coming over._

"_I'll be okay. Thanks." I said._

"_It's…you're bleeding." She said, still worried._

"_I thought it had stopped." I muttered, throwing out the tissue._

"_What happened?" She pressed, coming to sit beside me._

"_I kinda got punched in the face. A lot." _

"_Why?" She asked, curious._

"_Because I'm…you know. Different." I said, turning away. I never had a problem with being different back then. It was just __**other people**__ who had the problem with me being gay. Funny, if they knew back then… "And it's not even a __**big**__ difference. Not like being a mutant…Hah. I wish."_

"_No, you don't." The tone of her voice made me stop and turn to her. "Believe me. If you were a mutant, people'd only punch you __**more**__. Who was it?"_

"_Someone else who can't understand the bit about 'Born This Way'." I suggested, trying to make her laugh, although she didn't._

"_So, what are you going to do when you see this guy next?" She said, trying to take a practical tone._

"_Run like the wind in the other direction, and pray that I'm now Tommy." I said matter-of-factly._

"_No. You're going to stand up to him. Show him you aren't scared." Mom said determinedly._

"_But I __**am**__ scared. If I had powers like you or Tommy…" I confessed._

"_You do." I turned to her. Did she know something? "We all have our own powers, or things we do better than other people."_

"_I don't think that a 4.0 GPA can help me enter the WWE, so I'm going to stay out of John Kesler's bigoted way." I said, a little sarcastic._

"_The more you do what people want, the more you'll get into trouble – they'll think you'll let them do anything they want to you. You've got to stand up to this bully, and show him he can't hurt you." Mom said._

"_And my injuries show that, completely…" I said, now really getting sarcastic. Mom tapped me on the nose gently, and then…They were all healed._

"_**What**__ injuries?" She said with a smile, and moved to leave the room, but not before a reminder. "Stand your ground. See what happens."_

_Of course I didn't stand up to him. I avoided him as much as I could._

_In the end, all that proved was I couldn't have done enough to avoid this date with destiny._

**AN: Part One is up! This part delves into a bit of Young Avengers for these characters, but they fit. Again, if this seems confusing, please read my fanfic Wicked (and review).**

**For the person who mentioned me using these characters…I actually was planning to do so all along. And don't worry, previous reviewer to fanfic Wicked (you know who you are), the character you 'sensed coming soon' **_**will **_**be coming soon.**

**My idea for the art stuff is that: Design-wise, I'll draw like Gordon did his designs for the characters in Evo, then I may do certain scenes from my series as comic panels (Rachel's nightmare, watching the video, Rachel's eyes glowing, meeting Marrow, 'I'm Not A Monster', 'That's Mr. Wolverine To You', fighting X-23, fighting Juggernaut, becoming the X-Men, 'I'm On Fire!', Danny breaking out of prison.**

**Poll: What is Danny's coolest trait, personality-wise?**


	19. Mirror, Part Two

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Seven, 'Mirror'**

**Part Two**

_I avoided Kesler successfully for the first week, which made me pretty happy. But eventually, I had to stop when I saw that he'd found a new punching bag. I can't stand up for myself, but for someone else…_

"_Get away from him." I said loudly, causing him to look up._

_He grinned tauntingly. "Why? Is he your boyfriend?"_

"_Is that your way of asking if I'm single?" I asked, getting the sinking feeling that made me think I was just digging a deeper hole. "Because you are really not my type."_

_I felt the punch graze my cheek before I realized he'd moved. "__**What**__ did you say?" He bellowed._

_Then, suddenly, I felt something inside of me rise up, like a wave of power. I thought maybe my eyes were glowing with that power. "I said get away."_

_He threw a punch, but – I blocked it. And then, a surge of power traveled through the hand I blocked it with and into Kesler. He went down hard – for a second, I thought I'd __**killed **__him. Almost did too._

_I ran. Ran back home. Mom was there, eating a sandwich. "MOM!" I yelled._

"_Billy?" she said, confused at seeing me home so early, and seeing how upset I was. "What happened?"_

"_I did what you said, but it went wrong, or something happened. Anyway, I think I killed him, and I didn't mean to, no matter what he did to me-"_

"_BILLY!" she ran to me, grabbing my shoulders. "WHAT HAPPENED?"_

"_I-I'm a __**mutant**__, Mom!"_

_She flipped, and immediately signed me up for her yoga and meditation classes, to try to control my feelings. We swapped schools for me, and that's where I met the love of my life, Teddy Altman. He's a bit of a paradox too – a Kree-Skrull hybrid. But we love each other, and that's all that matters._

_Mom's worried about me though. __**I'm**__ worried about me – and her too. She lost control once, and hurt a lot of people. I don't know if I could do that, or if she has enough control to prevent something like that again…_

"Billy, I'm talking to you, can you hear me?"

"Huh?" Billy blinked. He and Tommy were sitting on a couch in the living room, and Tommy was lying on his back, looking bored.

"You really need to quit taking it so hard on yourself. So you splattered a little batter – big deal. I bet that wasn't even the worst thing that could've happened."

"That's easy for _you_ to say." Billy grouched. "You have super-speed. How can you lose control of _that?_"

"The thing is, I'm not sure that that's it." Tommy confessed. "I keep feeling like I've only gotten halfway there – like I still have something else to unlock."

"You mean – you think you have more than one power?" Billy asked, surprised.  
"Hey, bro, what do _I_ know about any of this destiny, Luke Skywalker, I-Still-Have-So-Much-More-To-Do crap? But I'll tell you one thing – I bet I could find out from-"

"Hey, boys, do you want to watch a movie?" Wanda Maximoff walked up to her sons, dressed in scarlet pajamas. "It's your choice this week, Tommy."

Tommy perked up. "I wanna watch-"

"Please don't say _Ferris Buller's Day Off_." Billy groaned. "You make us watch that all the time. I'm starting to think he's your role model."

"Well, what would be _your_ choice? _Sound of Music_ again?" Tommy snapped. "I think I have the songs memorized by now – not exactly helping my reputation."

"_What_ reputation?" Billy snapped.

"Boys!" Wanda intervened. "Stop fighting." The words were quiet, but commanding, and they stopped jibing.

"No, I wanna watch _Rebel Without A Cause_." Tommy said, then he sped off into the room, with Billy and Wanda following.

**Break**

The boys lay side by side with their mother in her large bed. Most of the time after a movie, they all got in for 'hugs and snugs' as their mom put it. Billy slept soundly, Tommy muttered something in his sleep, and Wanda twitched and moved back and forth until her nightmare cumulated in a scream, terrible and loud.

"AAAAUGGH!"

The boys woke up instantaneously, coming to their now weeping and cringing mother's side. They didn't ask what she had dreamed about, knowing she had too many memories and fears to choose from. Instead, they just comforted her back into a sleep, troubled although it was.

**Break**

The next day, a Monday, Billy was called to the office nearer to the end of the day. Surprised why – had he been called to skip ahead? – he was even more surprised when he saw his mom there, smiling at him.

"Mom? What are you doing here?"  
"I thought I'd come pay you a visit, and maybe we – you, me, and Tommy – could all go to a theme park or something." She said, giving him a hug and escorting him to the front door. Although she didn't say anything else on the subject, he knew this must have something to do with last night. She wanted to be a mother, not the child needing protection.

Tommy's school was further down the way, and they enjoyed the walk until a loud, frightening _BOOM _was heard.

"What was that?" Billy asked, and Wanda shook her head in confusion. Then they saw a plume of smoke rise in the air, and a squad of fire trucks speeding ahead of them.

"Oh, God, don't turn left," Wanda whispered, and left they turned – to Tommy's school. Wanda immediately raced into action, going at speeds that would make her brother jealous, as Billy panted as he tried to keep up. When they reached the sight, all they saw was a squad of children being comforted by firemen, as they were escorted out of what had been the school. "TOMMY!" Wanda screamed in fear.

"Mom, look!" Billy pointed. In the center of the explosion sight, kneeled Tommy – staring at his hands as if…well, as if they'd made his school explode.


	20. Mirror, Part Three

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Seven, 'Mirror'**

**Part Three**

"Thomas Maximoff? Can you describe _in detail_ what happened?"

Tommy didn't respond, but continued to stare at the floor of the courtroom. The judge looked over his glasses at him. Nearby, his lawyer spoke up. "The boy didn't know about his ability to destabilize molecules at that point, Your Honor. It was an accident."

"I'll concede that he did not _know_ he could." The prosecutor stated lazily. "But from all reports, the accused was not fond of school – who is – and would have liked to be out early. His feelings on the matter influenced the decision – and what about the next time?"

Tommy didn't say anything, and from the stands, his mother and brother didn't either, although Wanda dabbed at her eyes with a tissue.

All too soon, the judges gavel came crashing down, and with that a sentence.

**AN: Sorry for it being so short! But I didn't know exactly how I wanted to end it, and I'm lazy and all. But don't worry – next few episodes will be much more exciting!**

**Next Ep: Dead End Justice!**


	21. Dead End Justice, Part One

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Eight, 'Dead End Justice'**

**Part One**

_Highway to Hell_, Tommy Maximoff thought as the plain white bus dragged on and on, taking him further and further away from what he had known. He sat in the back of the empty bus, with his forehead pressed against the window, making it sweat even more. Absentmindedly, he banged it again, but all it got him was a bigger headache.

What was the point? It wouldn't change anything. Not the six-month sentence facing him, not the 'adolescent superhuman security facility' (fancy name for super-juvie), not the fact he had parted with his family. Granted, it was a mom and a dorky twin brother, but it was his.

"We're finished," the Neanderthal-sized bus driver grunted as the bus skidded to a halt, and Tommy looked up as he grabbed his few possessions in a backpack and walked up the middle. Peeking out the window of the bus, he saw a large, looming brick facility that looked sort of like a private high school, surrounded by a chain-mail fence. _Great_, he thought grimly. _Where's the sign saying 'Abandon all hope, he who enter here?_

The doors wooshed open, and he jumped out. Immediately, a few armored guards were next to him, escorting him into the facility. A mustached man stared him over as they scanned his bag, removing his iPod. _And I just downloaded like thirty songs there…_

They let him drop his stuff off in a room with a plain cot, throwing it onto the top blanket before they let him change into a plain white uniform that looked like pajamas. "Others are in the dining hall," his guard told him, escorting him further. "You all get an exercise period once a day, for an hour. Anyone tries to escape; we'll all be on you."

_As if I could escape_, Tommy thought bitterly. Isn't that why he had the power dampener on?

The hall was crowded with about twenty teenagers, all in his uniform. The halls were lined with a cafeteria-like set up, with platters of gunk that might have been toxic waste or spaghetti. His guards nodded, and then left him in with the rest of them. Nearby, he saw a pile of trays, and a number of utensils. Picking up one of each, he started in the line, getting a plate and sitting down at a table alone before he saw _her_.

She was sitting at a table alone too, and was picking at her foot without appetite. Her face was angular, with sharp cheekbones and a long nose. Her mouth was full, and crossed in a frown, while her eyes were brown and set deep. She had masses of brown hair that she had set into a high ponytail that allowed for two side strands to hang out. Although she was sitting down, she looked tall, and pretty hot.

Tommy picked up his tray, and walked over to her table, scooting down next to her. She didn't look up. "Hey," he said, trying to be suave. "Who are you?"

She looked at him sideways, then returned to her meal. "Come on," he begged. "At least let me know your name." No answer. "What you in for?"

She looked at him with a smirk, daring him. "Wouldn't _you_ like to know." She looked at him archly. "You don'tlook so tough."

"Oh, I've been around." He said, trying to mimic her dark tone.

The bell rang, and they all stood up to leave. The crowd went to a door, and he followed behind her. "My name's Tommy. What's yours?" he asked, holding out his hand for a handshake.

She looked at it apprehensively, and then grabbed it in a firm grip. "Danny," she said. "Danny Petros."

**Break**

Outside, they all were sitting on the brick walls. Danny and Tommy sat together, a bit higher up. "What are your powers?" He asked her.

"Geokinesis." Seeing his blank look, she added "Earth manipulation. Rock."

"I'm a speedster. And I blow things up." He said.

"That's an interesting look," she said, running a hand through his white hair. He couldn't breathe. _She was touching him_. "Did you bleach it?"

"Nope. It's natural."

"Natural?" Danny gave him a funny look.

"It runs in the family." He waited before dropping the bomb. "My grandfather's Magneto, and my mom's the Scarlet Witch."

That sold her. "_Wow_! That is so cool! I can't believe it! Have you met your grandfather?"

"No." Tommy said simply.

"And…I totally should have known. The hair, the powers…Do you have any siblings?"

"Yep." Tommy said. "A twin brother, Billy. He's got Mom's powers. He's gay, and a total dork."

"Now that, I find hard to believe." Danny said skeptically. "Do you want to know who's the _coolest_ person here?"

"You?" Tommy asked, but Danny rolled her eyes.

"I mean, the person that's the most mysterious. It's _him_." She pointed to a boy that was even higher up then them. "His name's Vance Astrovik. He never talks to anyone, and he's got the longest sentence – two years."

"Let's go talk to him," Tommy suggested, and they climbed higher up until they were behind Vance.

"Hi." Tommy started off. "I'm Tommy, and this is Danny. You're Vance, right?"

"Yep." Vance said simply. He was tall, sort of muscular, and brown haired. Also, he was sort of a hottie.

"What are your powers?" Danny asked.

Vance didn't say anything for a while, then: "Telekinesis."

"Cool," Tommy said simply, then jumped with "What'd you do to get in here?"

A lot of a longer pause before Vance answered, then he spoke in a voice filled with pain. "I killed my father."

"Woah." Danny said simply.

"I didn't mean to. He was beating me up! I just lost it, and…The prosecutor said I should have had enough control to stop him _without_ killing him. But…when you're being beat up, what can you do?"

"That sucks." Tommy said, summing it up. "They said I might blow something _else_ up that I didn't like – I blew my school up – so that's why I'm here."

"Tried to break out of prison using my geokinesis, and committed several other petty crimes." Danny said simply. "You know, all the other mutants here – well, sounds like they never got a fair trial either."

"Seems like things are never going to get better." Tommy grouched. "What would we have to do to make the entire human race come to their senses?"

"They're scared of us 'cause we're the meteor. The thing that wiped out the dinosaurs. The Cro-Magnons to the Neanderthals. Because now that we're here – we make them instantaneously extinct." Danny said darkly. "'We are Homo Superior. Piss us off at your peril.'"

Tommy grinned. "Danny, Vance, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."

**AN: I'm posting this early because I won't get a chance to over the weekend.**


	22. Dead End Justice, Part Two

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Eight, 'Dead End Justice'**

**Part Two**

"Petra."

The three of them – Danny, Vance, and Tommy – were all sitting on their usual ledge – the highest, at the usual time – during break, discussing their usual topic – wearing capes.

"Petra?" Tommy gave Danny a confused look. She replied with an irritated one "It means rock. Also, it sounds like my last name. What about you, then?"

"Speed." He replied, probably expecting them to faint in awe.

Vance gave him a look of 'oh-come-on'. "Sort of unoriginal."

"I like it," Danny announced. "Tells you everything you need to know in one syllable."

Tommy gave her a look, probably hoping for something extra, but she didn't say anything else about it. "What about you, Vance?"

Vance considered this question more than the other two had. "Hmm…well, before I got here, I wanted Marvel Boy-"

"Marvel Boy? Are you kidding? Dude, that _stinks_." Tommy said, in the same 'oh-come-on' tone Vance had used earlier.

"-but now, I'm thinking Justice."

"Why? _Justice_ isn't what we're getting. What we're getting is just the junior version of what they treat grown-up mutants too – hell." Danny said bitterly. "

Vance frowned. "Danny, we did bad things. We need to be in control of ourselves. We can't show the public mutants are bad, or else we'll just prove most of them right."

They all sat in silence for a few more minutes, Danny's thoughts focused on the two next to her. She had never been too into boys – had a few acquaintances-with-benefits (just kissing, though) but not any boyfriends. Always, it had been about Danny the star, rather than Danny the girlfriend. Her mind drifted into a song she liked.

_I'm not really jealous; don't like lookin' like a clown.  
I think of you ev'ry night and day.  
You took my heart, then you took my pride away.  
I hate myself for loving you  
Can't break free from the things that you do.  
I wanna walk but I run back to you, that's why  
I hate myself for loving you  
_Maybe what her dad had said, in a fit of drunken rage was right: Love takes away choices.

"So, what was the Scarlet Witch like as a mom?" She asked Tommy, trying to escape that depressing thought. He groaned. "You've asked me that again and again. What about you? I know you don't have a mom, but what's your dad like?"

Danny screamed a loud, gorilla like yell down below, startling both of the boys next to her. Then she laughed. "I'm sorry. It's just…ah, I might as well say it. My dad's an alcoholic. He's a binger. That means that most of the time he's fine and doesn't drink. But sometimes, he'll go somewhere, drink, then pass out and drink again. The longest one was three days. I had to drag him home from some bar."

"Can't you do anything about it?" Vance asked in concern.

"Not really. He's an okay dad when he's not on the bottle, but I keep it a secret 'cause otherwise I'd lose all my freedom." Danny said, with hints of longing and bitterness in her voice.

"You're really something, you know that?" Tommy asked, with a bit of admiration in his voice.

She smirked. "We're _all_ really something. Elsewise, we wouldn't be here and I wouldn't hang out with you two."

**AN: New poll on profile page! Please check it out!**

**Also, here's what I'm drawing:**

**A picture of the completed Brotherhood, in the style of the Breakfast Club Poster.**

**A cover page for Feral, a reproduction of the famous cover of the Days of Future Past**

**A cover page for Outcast, a reproduction of either the cover of Uncanny X-Men 168 or 171**

**A cover page for Pilot, based off of a cover of I don't know what issue.**

**A cover page for Baptism of Fire, based off of the Giant Sized X-Men cover.**

**A cover of Second Genesis/promo for series, based off of Uncanny X-Men 210**

**A cover for Petra, based off of Buffy Season 8 24**

**A cover for Mirror…which I will probably design. I'm thinking either reflections or shattered glass.**

**A cover for Dead End Justice, either my design or based on the poster for Some Kind of Wonderful. **


	23. Dead End Justice, Part Three

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Eight, 'Dead End Justice'**

**Part Three**

Some strange things may happen in dreams…especially in the dreams of a mother missing her child. Especially when that mother has reality-warping powers, allowing things to change and bend…like having a guard forget to turn on his power-dampeners for the night.

So when Tommy Maximoff woke up that night and found himself free to use his powers, the power he chose was the one that led to freedom….the ability to blow things up.

_BOOM!_

Soon, with superhuman speed, the guards and authorities had a mob of free, super-powered teenagers on their hands.

But one had not come…leading to his free friends, Danny 'Petra' Petros and Tommy 'Speed' Maximoff coming to look for him.

"What are you doing?" Vance 'Justice' Astrovick demanded as they approached him.

"We're here to help free you!" Danny answered, confused.

"Did it occur to you…" Vance answered angrily, "that _I don't want to be freed?_"

"What?" Tommy asked, shocked.

"Look, I need to stay and do my time. I can't give you my authority. But I'm staying."

"What? No way, man, that's crazy talk! You don't need to do anything!" Tommy said angrily.

"But the law says-"

"The law _stinks!"_ Danny cried, punching a wall futilely. "I don't care _what_ it says!"

"I killed my father. Whether I meant it or not – and I _didn't_ – I'm still responsible for that act." Vance said with finality. "You can quibble about the law all you want, but I believe in the system. I'm going to abide by it."

"But…" Tommy stammered, then the three of them were distracted by a noise nearby. All of them raced toward it.

The source was a large digital map, where a red spot located in Queens was bleeping loudly.

"This is some sort of mutant detector." Danny announced. "Some new mutant out there has gotten their powers. They could use some guidance" She looked at Vance strongly.

He groaned. "_Fine!_ I'll go with you and help! But _that's it_!"

"So, what are her powers?" Tommy asked Danny, who was looking at a list of data.

Danny grinned. "She's a _star_ in the making!"

**AN: Four covers on my deviantArt: Pilot, Petra, Outcast, and Mirror!**

**Next Episode: Supernova! Cover will be based on Runaways Vol 1 10.**


	24. Supernova, Part One

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Nine, 'Supernova'**

**Part One**

Ms. Parker smiled at her unsuspecting students as she dropped her bombshell. "In one week…you will be a super hero. You will give us an oral presentation in character. You can make up one or choose one. Good or bad guy. Tell me what you are and what your powers mean. You can even be a mutant."

Naturally, this got reactions from the class. "Don't sweat it. It's just a word. You can come discuss aspects of your project with me anytime." The bell rang. "Class dismissed."

The mass of students rushed out of the classroom, the small door somehow fitting all of them…except one still lingered, dawdling by messing with her books. Ms. Parker frowned over at her. "Liz?" she called out. "Ms. Allen, is there something you wish to talk about?"

The shorter, thinner girl with the long orange-red hair scuttled over; as if she was afraid someone might see her. Then, when she was right in front of the teacher, staring at the desk, she mumbled in a rush "I think it's a bad idea."

"What?" Ms. Parker said, taken aback.

"The assignment. I-I think it's a bad idea." Liz repeated, gaining more confidence, and looking up at the teacher. "This is social studies class. It's not dress-up time. And I think it's irresponsible to do it at all. I mean, places have been wrecked by people with powers…and now you want us to be one? Why can't we just do social studies? Why do we have to do this?"

"The assignment is to help you study the environment around you-from a new perspective." Ms. Parker said gently. "That _is_ social studies."

"At the last P.T.A meeting, my mom said that mutant stuff shouldn't even be in the classroom." Liz said. "She's _not_ going to like this assignment."

"And that's _her_ problem. Are you going to let that blind you from wrecking your near-perfect grades in school?" Ms. Parker asked, a small smile on her face.

Liz shook her head and mumbled "No, ma'am."

"Good. But know – if you have troubles with this assignment, talk to me about it."

BREAK

Liz pushed through the masses of students surrounding her to her locker. A lot of them were talking to each other, being friendly, except her – Ms. New Girl. This was her third move in this year alone! She knew her mom had to change jobs a lot, but could she put, like, a note to her bosses saying: _Please wait till the end of the school year if you want to transfer/fire me; it's stressful on my daughter_. Of course, if she told her mom about this, she knew she'd just get worried that the bulimia she had coped with last year was related to this and get a therapist or something. Of course, it wasn't; it was related to the new girl teasing by each school's resident Plastics.

Her nana's death had also been a cause. She was her mom's mother, and had lived with them for all of Liz's life. Always, she had been supportive of Liz, believing in her. "See this mark on your palm, shaped like an M?" Nana would go. "That's a sign, my dear girl – you are one of the chosen few. A very special person!" This had helped – until some mean girls had pointed out M's on _their_ palms and Nana had died.

Now it was time for lunch, and Liz followed everyone into the cafeteria, hoping to find a place to sit. She got a salad for her lunch, and a chocolate milk, and gathered the courage to sit near some girls at a table. Shyly, she approached them, and finally sat down. At first, no one said anything – then they all got up and sat somewhere else! Liz felt angry tears growing in her eyes, and grabbed the milk carton, squeezing it. It wasn't fair! If she could, she'd fix them! She really would! Unnoticed, the carton bent inward as the pressure grew until, as a teacher was passing nearby – _SQUIRT!_

"What is the meaning of this, Ms. Allen?" He demanded angrily, wiping off the milk from his suit and tie.

"I-I didn't mean to do that! I'm so sorry." Liz spluttered, feeling the heat growing in her cheeks. One of the detriments of her hair color – you blush all the time.

"Well, I guess you'll have to make up for it in detention this afternoon." He said grimly, and Liz felt a spasm of horror. _Detention? But I'm a good girl! Good girls don't get detention!_

BREAK

Walking through the empty hallways even after detention was even worse than walking through them crowded. Did they make them this long on purpose?, Liz wondered. She heard footsteps behind her, but instead of looking back, she speeded up, and they did too. Soon, walking next to her was a taller blonde boy with a baseball cap on and a T-Shirt and jeans. "Hey," he panted. "I'm Johnny Benson."

"Liz Allen," she said staring into her hair and trying to look away from him.

"Listen, during lunch – Mr. Varner was totally unfair. It was an accident. I could tell just by looking at you."

Liz blushed a little. "Th-thanks. Look, I have to be going-"

"Do you wanna go out with me?" He asked in a rush, like was as uncertain about this as she was shocked by his announcement. "Friday after school. The beach. Me and some of my friends are going."

She was totally taken off-guard by his proposal – she had never been asked out by a guy before. What if this was some sort of _Carrie_ thing? Like, if his friends had made him ask her out just so they could pour pigs blood on her? And it's not like she had any powers (besides clumsiness) that could kill everyone for revenge. But maybe…

"Sure. I'd love to go."

BREAK

On Friday night, sitting on a log around a campfire in warm clothes with Johnny's arm around her, listening to his friends telling goofy stories about the school, Liz didn't think she could be any happier. All the time in her house, tossing out different outfits and listening to confidence-boosting music seemed silly and wasteful now. She smiled a smile that reached to the ends of her face, and tucked her head back into Johnny a little. Was this okay?

He leaned down a little, like he was about to kiss her. Liz could feel her hear racing, her face getting hotter, then – a sharp pain on her arm caused her to say "Ow." Suddenly, everything seemed to be going faster, and all _wrong_ too – pain seared up her body, causing her to fall off the log and onto the ground, the others all getting closer as she heard someone (probably her) scream out _"AIEEE!"_ In the background, Johnny was saying loudly in worry "I didn't-I didn't do anything-"

Then, all of a sudden, everyone was backing away as the pain receded somewhat and she could see the ground below her sizzling. Bringing her hands to her face, she could see them glowing with a strange orange light. Touching them to the sand, it began to melt and become glass. Standing up, everyone backing away further, she saw her entire body was glowing with the same hot glow. For once in her life, she was the spotlight.

**AN: Seven deadly words: Unknown, incredibly powerful mutant on the loose!**

**New covers will probably be posted on my deviantArt soon. Story arc after 'Brotherhood' is entitled 'Teen Spirit'. Next episode, and this arc's conclusion, is entitled 'Don't You (Forget About Me).**

**And don't you forget about me either, due to the fact that soon I will be taking a two-week vacation in a place that, sadly, updating from will **_**not**_** be happening.**


	25. Supernova, Part Two

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Nine, 'Supernova'**

**Part Two**

"AIEEEEEE!" Liz screamed as, with the discovery of her mutant ability to (what? Glow) sunk in, and a sense of terror engulfed her, her feelings lifted her up quite literally. She swerved and thrashed in the air as she kept getting higher. The beach crowd scattered as she dive-bombed them and the last thing she saw before going high into the city was the disgusted look on Johnny Benson's face as he looked at her.

Terrified, she swerved around again and again, screaming her head off. A trail of glowing heat was her calling, and flames arose whenever the trail touched something solid. Touching anything herself meant that it melted, so calling home; her mom was out of the question. Then, all of a sudden, in front of the flying girl, arose her saviors.

Three teens all dressed in white clothing, two boys and a girl. The girl was a little older than Liz, and strong-looking and curvier than herself. Her white shirt had had the sleeves ripped off to emphasize her muscular arms, and her long brown hair was up in a ponytail while brown hairs flew in her determined face and brown eyes. She stood on a rock that was flying, balancing. One of the boys was standing on a rooftop ledge next to her, white-haired and skinny-looking, built a bit like some of the boys from the track team. But the one she noticed the most was the flying brunette boy, solidly built and with a determined, chiseled face and body. Also he was totally hot.

He held out his hand. "Come with us if you want to live."

"Dude did _not_ just say that," the white haired boy groaned.

"Dude so just _did_," the brunette girl groaned too.

Liz, without knowing it, had stopped in midair, and looking down made her screech again. "Try pointing your head," the hottie advised. "You lean your body in the direction your head is pointing. It'll keep you flying straight."

"How-how did you know that?" She stuttered, feeling like a total dork.

"Practice." He said simply, giving her a small smile that seemed to melt her insides.

"Okay. How did I stop?"

"You probably just _told_ yourself to stop. Like you would running or walking. So try telling yourself to fly to that rooftop-" he nodded to the one the white-haired boy was standing on "-and then turning off flight all together."

"I CAN'T!" She screamed, terrified. "I'LL FALL!"

"Okay. Okay." The hottie extended some range of power, and she was caught in a grip that moved her to the rooftop. "Now try."

She furrowed her brow intently, and then – glowing girl gone, flying her gone as she fell on her feet. "Wow. Thanks. So who are you all?"

"Oh." Said the hottie. "I'm Vance Astrovik. And these are Tommy Maximoff-" he nodded to the other boy – "-and Danny Petros." The girl, who crossed her arms and scowled. "We're mutants too. Like you, Liz."

"How do you know my name?" She demanded, feeling angry and embarrassed, her cheeks red.

"The same way we knew how to find you and what your powers are. A mutant detector from where we were." Vance said, consulting a piece of paper. "You have…microwave heat generation, manipulation, and heat emission. You fly by projecting the microwaves in a tight stream."

"So what are your powers?"

"I'm telekinetic. I move objects with my mind. Tommy's a speedster and he blows things up, and Danny manipulates earth." Vance said.

"What-what are you doing here?" Liz stuttered, feeling a little awkward about all her questions.

"We came to help you." Danny said, rolling her eyes. "From the first big day. Congratulations, your life has taken a big ol' turn."

"I-I know. My life is-this changes _everything_. I-I-I can't go back to school." Liz kept stuttering.

"Why not?" Vance said.

"_Why not_?" Liz screamed back at him. "I project micro-whatsists! You think I can go around school like that?"

"Yeah. Yeah I do." Vance said simply. "You can have the life you had, you just have to learn how to do what you do and decide what you want to do with it."

"What I want to _do_? What am I going to do with this?"

"This is the hard part." Vance said. "You get to find out what kind of person you are. You get to be someone special. A good guy? Learn your powers and help people. Or, rob banks and hurt people."

"I don't want to hurt people," Liz said, agitated. "I don't know what I want to do at _all_."

"Well, we could get some popcorn." Tommy suggested.

Liz shot him a death glare.

"You'll be okay." Vance said, whacking Tommy on the back of his head. "We'll help you."

"Why can't I just…_be?_" Liz begged.

"Well, you _can_. But-"

"Here comes the _but_…" Danny muttered.

"You have powers that need using. For the greater good." Vance said.

"But…" Liz felt a little worried. "Can't I like, get a minute to enjoy this or whatever?"

"I'm not saying you have to sign up to a life of no fun at all," Vance said, grinning a little. "Don't let being a mutant stop you from making the best of your life."

Liz felt a little woozy. _Wow. He's like Dr. Phil in the body of that hottie from __Glee__._

"Okay." Tommy said, cutting the moment to a stop. "Can we find a better place to be than a _rooftop_?"

Vance looked a little uncomfortable. "You can. But I'm not. I'm going back."

**AN: Sorry for the wait, but these things happen – like two weeks in another state without a computer!**


	26. Supernova, Part Three

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Nine, 'Supernova'**

**Part Three**

"You're _what_?" Danny said, staring at Vance like he'd lost his mind. "You can't be serious!"

"Man, are you crazy or just plain stupid?" Tommy jabbed in. "Ditching us for a cozy cell?"

"What? Going back? To where? _What_ cozy cell?" Liz said, totally lost.

Vance waited till they all were done with their pieces, then started with Liz. "I'm going back to where Danny, Tommy, and I all came from. Super-juvie. I was in there because I, by accident, killed my abusive father. There was an opportunity to escape, but I didn't want to go. No, I did, but I _needed_ to stay. I did something wrong. I only came along to help you, Liz, just now. And now that's over." He looked directly at Danny and Tommy when he said that, and they clenched their fists, but didn't say anything.

Liz blushed a little as she fidgeted around her words. Finally, the words came out. "Do you wanna make out?"

Vance looked stunned. "_What_?"

"Forget it, I'm sorry." Liz said, trying to cover up, but then she asked. "Well, do you?"

He still couldn't wrap his mind around it. "Liz…I've known you for like, _ten minutes_, and I'll be eighteen in three months, and I'm a felon, and-"

"I've just found out I'm a mutant." Liz said, drawing herself a little closer to the taller boy. "It's wrecked my first date. It's been a very long night. Please." The last word came out small, and vulnerable. Vance smoothed her hair out from her face, and kissed her square on the lips, leaving it there for the two to linger.

"Oh. My. God." Tommy said, staring at the two.

"I can't believe I'm gonna die a virgin." Danny moaned.

They finally parted, and there was something new in both of their eyes. Liz kept looking at him in awe, and longing, and he returned it. Danny finally broke up the moment by giving Vance a hug and telling him "Wherever we go, you're always welcome. You know that."

Tommy slapped him on the shoulder. "Don't let The Man mess up your bizarre sense of justice."

The last words Vance said to them was to Liz. "I promise that when I get out, I'll come back." Then he lifted up in the air, flying back telekinetically, and in about five minutes he was out of sight.

Liz turned back to the others. "So…where do we go from here?"

They both turned to each other.

**AN: Supernova is now complete, and the chapter has some LOVE. Next episode is Don't You (Forget About Me) and the ending of Brotherhood arc!**


	27. Don't You Forget About Me Part 1

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Ten, 'Don't You (Forget About Me)**

**Part One**

William Maximoff walked the rainy streets of Cresskill, New Jersey with a hoodie pulled over his face and misery in his heart. After his brother had been arrested and convicted, his mom had retreated more and more inward. Today, she had basically kicked him out, saying there was 'a surprise' later.

Whatever. He could tell when he wasn't wanted.

Suddenly, out of a dark alley, figures emerged, one grabbing him by the hoodie and tugging him in after them. "Aaah!" he gasped, then remembered. Concentrating an instant, he made his hands glow blue. "I've got powers!"

"We _know_, dorkus." An achingly familiar voice said before its source hugged him.

"Tommy?" He asked, although he hugged his brother back. "What are you-who are these-why are you here?"

"Long story." His brother said, stepping back to show he was dressed in a simple green T-Shirt and jeans. "These are my gal pals, Danny and Liz."

"Nice that you make us feel wanted." One of the shadows' snarked, and stepped out. She had a brown ponytail, and wore a leather jacket with jeans and a tight red top.

"Oh, I always make you feel wanted, Danny." Tommy mock-leered, and Danny winced. The other shadow stepped out, revealing a skinny girl with bright orange hair, and wearing a yellow sweater and dark pants.

"You're Billy?" She said uncertainly. "Tommy said you could give us somewhere to stay, and that's-"

"_What are you doing here?_" Billy asked Tommy angrily. "Did you break out of juvie?"

"That about sums it up," Danny shrugged carelessly. "Well, Tommy and me. Liz is just a passenger we picked up along the way."

"Tommy-" Billy started, but then all of them were interrupted by a loud ringing. Billy pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and looked at the caller ID. "It's Mom."

"Go ahead and answer," Tommy said slowly, like he was talking to an idiot. "Put her on speaker."

He did so, and spoke out loud. "Mom?"

"Oh, Billy. Oh, thank God." A prickle of fear ran up Tommy and Billy. Their mom sounded frantic. "Listen to me-"

"It's okay Mom. It's a long story, but Tommy's here and we're on our way home-"

"_No!_" Terror shrieked the electronic voice. "Do you hear me? Don't you dare come home! Go to a friend's place-I'll send a message-to let you know how things are-he's found me-" A crashing noise greeted their ears, like someone had dropped something heavy.

"_Who's _found you, Mom? What are you talking about?"

Then, a terrifying noise greeted them from the phone. A snarl, a hiss, a clang, then their mother's eerily calm voice. "I love you, my sons."

Then she hung up.

"_Mom_!" Tommy cried out, grabbing the phone. "Mom, are you there?" But no one answered. Both he and Billy were visibly frightened. "We've got to get over there!"

All of the teenagers, their minds acting as one, raced over to the Maximoff house.


	28. Don't You Forget About Me Part 2

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Ten, 'Don't You (Forget About Me)**

**Part Two**

As the group jogged toward the house, the first alarming thing they noticed was that all the lights were off. Tommy was the first to go through the doorway, treading lightly. "Mom?" he called out. "Mom, we're home."

But there was no reply, and the group moved further. The living room, the first room they went into, was like a hurricane had hit. The sofas were overturned, glasses and portraits and vases were smashed, and the bookshelves were tipped over, and their innards spilled out. Billy felt a scream building up. "_Mom!"_ He yelled out. "_Where are you?_"

All of them, moving even more carefully than before, went into the empty kitchen. It was a mess too, with food spilled everywhere. "Should we call the police?" Liz whispered. "What if there were robbers-"

"Robbers wouldn't be a threat to Mom," Tommy dismissed. "And what kind of robbers make a mess, but don't take anything?"

They looked into their Wanda's bedroom, which seemed untouched. A photo of her, Billy, and Tommy was on the bedside table, which Billy picked up. He felt like he might cry. _Mom, what happened to you?_

Then, they all heard it – a slithering sound, but heavy – like some sort of large snake. Treading carefully, they moved out of the room, looking around, but they were in the living room that adjoined the breakfast room before they saw it, and before it saw them.

It was large, about the size of a bookshelf. It was monstrous and red and scales and _teeth_ – horribly large ones that looked quite capable of eating all of them. Evil eyes stared at them horribly.

Liz had to clap her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. Danny backed up a few paces in shock, and tripped backward, landing hard. Tommy just couldn't move, and Billy actually shrieked. The thing lunged, and they all scrambled.

Tommy dragged Danny a little behind the breakfast bar. He leaned over her lying form, heart thumping. "Well, we may die. Do you have any last words?"

"That better be your leg I feel pressing against _mine_, Casanova." She snarled.

"Wait, _what_?" He said, totally taken aback.

Then the bar exploded, flying into pieces of wood as the creature jumped at them. Danny scrambled backwards on all fours before turning around to get to her feet, and running. "_Do something!" _she demanded.

"I thought _you _were the fearless one!" Tommy replied.

"I thought _both_ of you were fearless!" Liz said, terrified. "Make it go away!"

"How?" Billy demanded. He was trying to concentrate for a blast, but his fear interfered too much.

Danny snuck up behind the monster, hitting it baseball-style with a broom handle, but all it did was break and make the creature angry.

"_Food_," it hissed. "_Delicious._"

Tommy decided to try something. He channeled his most dangerous power, and felt the familiar buzz. The creature started shaking fast, humming with the speed, and then – BOOM.

It _exploded_ into a shower of guts, raining the entire kitchen. Danny held out her hands as if to help shield her, and Billy almost vomited. Liz held out her clothes in disgust. _"This_ is the welcoming committee?"

"Let's…let's look around. Maybe Mom's around here somewhere and can't get out." Billy said, worried.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a new voice spoke up, from an unknown origin. "There might be more."

All of the teens looked around for the voice, and Tommy finally spotted its owner: a small girl, much younger than them, huddled in a ball in between the television and an old chest. She wore long dark pants, and a dark sweatshirt with the hood pulled up. When she looked up at them, small wisps of blonde hair was visible, and her face was shown – although partially in shadow. Her nose was long and thin, her mouth full, and her eyes were huge and an eerie shade of light blue.

"_Luna_?" He said in shock.

**AN: Sorry for the late update, but here's the chappie!**


	29. Don't You Forget About Me Part 3

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Ten, 'Don't You (Forget About Me)**

**Part Three**

Tommy still stared at the girl. "_Luna?_" he repeated, in shock.

But Billy was focused on what she had said. "What do you mean, more?"

"More monsters," she said nonchalantly, walking over to an overturned couch and swinging her legs over it to sit. "They _did_ make an awful mess, didn't they? And they weren't even planning to clean up. Typical."

All of them were shocked – at her appearance, at her demeanor, at her words. "Can you _at least_ explain to us who you are?" Danny demanded.

She nodded. "I'm Luna. Tommy and Billy's cousin."

"That would make you Quicksilver's daughter," Danny noted, and Luna winced like a bee had stung her.

"Can you _not_ use that name in my presence? He and I don't get along – in fact, I haven't seen him since I was six. My parents are divorced."

Liz felt a rush of sympathy for the young girl. Even though Liz had never known her dad, and her mom had never talked about him, to not know your father was probably nothing compared to the pain of knowing him and not liking him, or seeing him at all.

Danny had a lot less tact. "Why don't you and he get along?"

"Because he's an arrogant jerk that cares more about what he believes is best for him and the family, completely disregarding what everyone had told him, than me." Luna said harshly. "He was ashamed when I was born, you see. Not because he didn't want me or love me, but because I was born human. My mother and my father's super-genetics canceled each other out. He wanted me to be exposed to what gives my mother's side of the family the powers, saying that 'anything's better than having her be human'. At that time, they managed to talk him out of it, saying that I might die if that were to happen. But when I was six…"

"Oh," Liz said softly. "Oh, I'm so sorry."

Luna shrugged. "I'm over it," she said. "Besides, it didn't kill me and my powers are cool. I can manipulate and sense emotions."

"That's not all," Billy said eagerly, pulling her into their huddle. "She can see these things. Auras."

"You can see auras." Danny said flatly. "That's…strange."

"What do they look like?" Liz asked, curious. "If I'm being rude…"

"There's a glow. Bright colors shift. It changes with your mood. They help me figure out things. From them, I can see people's moves before I make them. It helps me fight." Suddenly Luna clapped her hand to her forehead. "I should have introduced you! You all need to meet my dog, Lockjaw. Lockjaw!" She called out, and suddenly a giant, hulking shape bounded from the garage. Danny gasped, and took a few steps back. The shape – in the light it was a giant mastiff dog – bounded onto Luna, licking her face as she laughed helplessly.

"That's not a dog!" Danny yelped. "That's the size of a Jeep!"

"We are kindly going to forget you said that," Luna said calmly, getting to her feet. "Besides, he has powers. He's got a super-strong jaw, and he can teleport. Anywhere I ask him to go."

None of them said anything for a while, until Billy sat down in defeat. "Mom…she's gone. Dead, probably."

"There's no reason to think she's dead." Luna said optimistically. "She's gone, yes, but she's powerful. She can handle herself."

"We've got another problem, though." Liz said, drawing attention back to her, "Where are we going to go? What are we going to do?"

"Bayville," Danny's voice said clearly, and they turned around to find her staring at the floor, at a picture that had its frame broken. "We're going to ask the dog to get us there, and then we're going to be a team. The Brotherhood."

Everyone stared at her for a long time. "The Brotherhood were terrorists," Liz said uncertainly. "They were _bad_ mutants. Why should we call ourselves that?"

"Because, in the beginning, they were like us," Danny said, standing up straight and tall. "Uncertain. Lonely. Confused. I want to do a project – a project on mutant teen superheroes. I want _us_ to be the ones that open the gates of evolution. Don't you want to inherit the earth?"

No one said anything, but Tommy moved over next to her, and then Billy and Luna and Liz, none of them wanting to leave the strange, security of the new bond they had.

"Great," Billy said, trying to sound cheerful. "But can we get some sleep before we leave tomorrow?"

**BREAK**

Later that night, after almost everyone had curled up somewhere to sleep, Danny walked the halls. Her expression bore one of a prying determination, her mouth worked into a tight line. Finally, she stopped in the kitchen, where she leaned out over the sink to stare out the window, at the mirror blue night.

**AN: This story will update more slowly now. If you want it to be the sole focus of the writing, please go to my profile page and vote on my poll!**


	30. That's What Kids Do Part 1

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Eleven, 'That's What Kids Do'**

**Part One**

"'_Cause baby you're a fii-erwork! Come on show 'em wha-t you're worth! Make 'em go oh-oh-oh, as you shoot across the sky-sky-sk-"_

"WILL SOMEONE TURN DOWN THAT RACKET!" Logan's growl shot out across the mansion. "It's the cracking of dawn?"

"It is not a racket!" TJ replied furiously, having to project her voice to make sure it was heard. "It's _music_! Hank said we should try to educate ourselves on what is 'in' before school starts in a week and that is what I'm doing."

"NOT by warbling along to whatever that racket is!" Nate protested, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he headed for the bathroom where TJ had been dancing and singing.

"Whatever, Nate." TJ rolled her eyes dramatically. "Well, Rachel and I are going to the mall after breakfast – and you're coming along. Beast said so, you haven't been bothering to get into the vibe much."

"_Vibe?_" Nate repeated skeptically.

"Just come along!" TJ insisted before stomping out of the bathroom to join the others at breakfast.

BREAK

"I still don't know why you felt the need to drag me along to this, TJ," Rachel asked as her friend, wearing clothes that covered her up almost all the way, was having her hair prepared by an attendant that could keep her mouth shut. "And why you didn't want me to tell anyone about coming."

"You'll understand when this is done," TJ said vaguely.

Rachel sighed. "How do you think the others are doing at this whole thing?" she asked, trying to avert the subject.

TJ shrugged. "Mike seems okay so far. Oliver seems really into it, though – he's been at this place like three times already. Probably trying to flirt with that dyed-blonde that works at the music shop."

The redhead felt a prick of sharp jealousy. "Do you think he likes her?"

"Who knows? The boy's a walking hormone." The attendant finished up, and TJ gestured dramatically to her hair. "Ta-dah!"

Rachel gasped. "Wow. Hank is _so _gonna freak."

TJ – now with neon-yellow streaks in her hair Rogue-style – grinned. "Y'think?"

_FLASH!_

Nate blinked out white spots from his eyes as he reeled in shock. The camera in front of him disappeared as the holder – a shorter teenage girl with longer slightly wavy auburn hair, maybe Rachel's age, dressed in a neat blouse, jacket, and skirt, tucked it back into her bag.

"Hey, I'm Irene Merryweather, reporter for the Bayville High News. I sense a story in you. Care to share?" She started out.

He shook his head. "Nate. I don't have any stories."

"I'll see about that," Irene teased. "You're new?"

"Relatively." He said. "I lived here when I was younger. But I moved away. Now I'm back, with my sister."

"You're going to Bayville High?"

"Yep." Nate said. "I hope it can live up to the quality of its reporters," he joked, and she blushed a little.

"C'mon," she said. "I'll show you around the town."

The two walked around the rest of the mall as she explained every detail, and then started to walk closer to the school. "Our team's the Bayville Hawks," Irene went. "We're pretty much your typical public high school – way more focused on the sports than anything else. I wish we could get more for the school newspaper, since we're the voice of the people. Well, most of the people mindlessly go along with the masses, so in reality we're the voice of the people making fun of the people."

Nate laughed lightly. He liked Irene – she had persistence and a shrewd intelligence that even Rachel didn't have. Suddenly, he spotted something out of the corner of his eyes, a flurry of action and a sound of scuffling. Turning around, the view was made plain; a group of boys taunting another, smaller, geeky-looking kid. His eyes narrowed.

Irene turned, and caught the scene. She winced. "I wish someone would do something about this," she said, "but most of the people worship the sports players. No one else is even strong enough to make them back down-"

"Hold this, please." Nate handed her his backpack as he walked over to the bullies. Her eyes widened. "Nate! Are you crazy?"

He stepped closer and closer, never flinching, always keeping his eye on them. "Leave the kid alone," he said clearly and plainly. The jocks all turned towards him, and snickered a bit too loudly, attempting to hyena-laugh the new kid off their territory. But he didn't, and so they started moving towards him in the natural movement of a pack. And once they attacked, he responded in kind.

Irene watched in amazement. Her mind immediately started taking unconscious notes on his style of fighting. _He fights…not like any of the heroes like the Avengers from the old news videos, or Spider-Man. Like a soldier. Clean. Efficient. Powerful. _

Within a few minutes, all of them were incapacitated. Nate walked back and took the backpack from her. "Come on. I need to meet my sister and her friend."

She stammered, nodding. "Okay. Sister. Friend. Whatever..." They walked back and for a few blocks she couldn't say anything. Finally she spoke up. "How did you learn to fight like that?"

"I learned a bit from the guy who helped my dad."

"Your dad? What was he? A cop?"

"Something like that, yes." Nate turned around, and gripped Irene's shoulders in his hands, forcing her to meet his gaze, her stomach flipping. "Irene, listen to me, okay? That didn't happen. Don't talk to anyone about it. Don't write about it."

"I-I promise I won't tell anyone about how you beat them up."

"Good." He walked away, and she was left standing, her mind finally lighting on one thing. _I am going to figure that man's secret out._

**AN: Sorry for the long wait. The fact is, no reviews=not much of a desire to write again. Plus school. I updated because I received a special request. Please review to see the next part of this arc!**


	31. That's What Kids Do Part 2

**Children of the Atom**

**Season One**

**Episode Eleven, 'That's What Kids Do'**

**Part Two**

"Hello, Nate."

Nate sighed as Irene sat mock-casually next to him on the street bench. "Hello, Irene."

Ever since that incident two days ago, she would not leave him alone. She spotted him in the street; she'd walk up next to him and try to talk to him about it. Always asking questions about how he did what he did. She could _not_ take a hint.

"So…are you _ever_ going to tell me what's going on?"

"No," Nate said firmly. "You'd just tell everyone else, like the _blab_ you are."

Irene looked hurt. "What makes you think that?"

_The fact that you're a reporter, and you were looking for a story in me._ "Look, just drop it, all right?"

"Nate, I don't give up that easily." Irene insisted. "I'm not going to tell anyone. What do I have to do to convince you of that?"

Nate paused, and then said. "Buy me a coffee cake from Starbucks."

She grinned. "No problem," and then dashed to the store. Nate stood up and walked away. He'd seen the tray was empty. Nearby, Rachel was in a small indie clothing store, looking at a cute green top. He nudged her shoulder. "C'mon. Let's leave."

"Why? What-oh. Irene again?"

Nate nodded. "I don't want her to come back and see me in here."

"It doesn't become a Summers to hide from their problems," Rachel sighed, "but all right. The others are all going to find this hilarious. We stop a supervillian, but you run from a reporter."

"I don't trust that she will do nothing," Nate insisted. "And besides, it could hurt her if she knew."

"Well, that's flattering." Rachel scowled.

"TJ's mom got killed along with her dad years ago, and she wasn't a mutant. All because she threw her lot in with the wrong people."

"You can't stop people from making their choices," Rachel insisted as the two of them left the shop. "Besides, aren't you a super hero? She could be, like, your Lois Lane or something."

Nate laughed. "As if. She's not interested in me that way. She just wants to play reporter."

"Well, it's not play _nurse_, but-"

"Oh, come on!"

"OH MY STARS AND GARTERS, TALIA JOSEPHINE WAGNER, WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOUR HAIR?"

TJ winced. "It's just a dye job-"

"IS IT PERMENANT?"

"Semi," she said weakly.

Beast groaned. "You look like Oliver's mother."

"What'd you say about my mom?" Oliver stuck his head out. "Wow…TJ…that hairstyle makes you look…"

"Cool?"

"I was going to say like some pop star, but that works too."

TJ grinned triumphantly. "_See_? It's the style!"

"Just promise you are only going to extend your bad decisions to your hair," Nate sighed as he and Rachel walked by.

"Even so," Beast sighed, "here's your image inducer so you can go to school. You can plug in that…that hairstyle to your appearance if it suits your fancy. And don't overdo it; it's supposed to make you look normal, not like a swimsuit model."

TJ grabbed it out of his hand, and started punching in keys, trying to order her appearance. She _had_ seen a few cute boys around town…

"Well, I'm going out for a meal," Oliver said, coming out of his room. "There's a good burger place downtown. Rachel, do you want to come?"

"Sure," Rachel said, immediately turning around to dash outside and follow him out the door.


End file.
